Page |1

Unit 16: LO1 Script

Session 1 Early Moving Images
Early Moving Image Magic Lantern
The magic lantern was invented in 1820. It was the very first film projector, and uses some of the principle elements that are still used today, in modern film projectors. To operate a magic lantern a light source had to be placed inside it. A mirror is then placed behind the light source to project as much of the light through a small sheet of glass which has the frame on it. The light then projects the frame out the front of the lantern and onto a blank white surface such as a white wall. You will then be able to see the frame projected onto the wall. There is also a lens on the front of the lantern which is used to make sure the frame that is being projected is focused properly on whatever it is being projected onto. To make the actual film that would be projected; the frame would be painted onto each slide, with each slide the next frame of the scene. This means that when the slides cross through the projection light, the frames that was painted onto the slides is what you see projected and as a film.

Thaumatrope
A thaumatrope was invented in 1825. It was a disc with strings attached to it onto the side edges of the disk. The disc would then have two different images on each side. The theory was that if you spun the disc by twirling the string with your fingers, then the disc would create an optical illusion and you would see both of the images on either side of the disc at the same time.

Zoetrope & Praxinoscope

The zoetrope was invented in 1867. It is a device that creates an illusion of motion from seeing static images in a rapid succession. A zoetrope is a cylinder with vertical slits that you can see through, cut into it at regular intervals all the way along the side. On the inner surface of the zoetrope just under the slits are a set of sequential pictures. So if you spun the zoetrope and peered through the slits and watched the pictures, the pictures would be blurred together making an illusion of motion.

1|Page

Page |2 The zoetrope then moved on to the praxinoscope in 1877. The praxinoscope is essentially the same thing as a zoetrope as it still uses a string of pictures on the inside surface of the spinning cylinder, but it uses mirrors to look at them instead of slits. The mirrors needed placed in a certain way so that reflections of the pictures looked pretty much stationary when the wheel was spun. As a result of using the mirrors like this as opposed to using the narrow slits, the motion image that was seen was a lot brighter and less distorted than the motion image that the zoetrope could offer.

Early Photography The First Photograph

The first photograph was made by Joseph Nicphore Nipce in 1826 or 1827. The image shows the view from an upstairs window at Nipces estate Le Gras, in the Burgundy region of France. The first photograph is very important as it was the first time someone was able to record an exact replica of what they saw.

Eadweard Muybridge
Eadweard Muybridge was a famous British photographer, who was also the first person to create a motion picture and to put it into an animation. He did this by taking a series of 12 photographs shot in rapid succession. To get these photos he used trip wires linked to cameras at the side of the race track. He then got the horse to gallop past setting off each camera via the trip wires as it did so. He then used the pictures on a zoopraxiscope, which when used showed the horse galloping. The reason that he did this was to prove that there is a point in which a horse has none of its feet on the ground while it its galloping.

First Public Showing Of A Moving Image The Lumire Brothers

Auguste & Louis Lumire were the Lumire brothers. They were the first filmmakers ever recorded. Their first film was filmed on 13th February 1934 and was called Workers leaving a Factory; it showed factory workers leaving a factory after their shift, but because they already knew that they were going to be filmed they did not look at the camera and just walked straight past it instead.

What Was The Purpose Of Film At This Point?

2|Page

Page |3 At this point in time the purpose of film was just to document things, and to show that filmmaking was possible. It was not made to entertain people as it had only just been figured out how to film nobody had thought to use it for entertainment purposes yet. The Lumire brothers were also the first ever people to hold a private screening so that people could properly watch the films that had been made.

Session 2 Storytelling
Storytelling In Film George Mlis A Trip To The Moon What Is Happening In This Film?
A Trip to the Moon was a French sci-fi made in 1902 by George Mlis. It was of a group of astronomers who travelled to the moon in a cannon-propelled spaceship and explored the moon's surface. It is a very important film as it is one of the first films to be made for entertainment and to contain a storyline. At the time the main form of entertainment for people was the theatre, and George Mlis used to work in theatre before he started making his films. As a result of this, all of his films he made were as if it was an audience watching a play on a theatre stage. He used one camera angle which was a wide shot of his performance stage, that he had his play like films acted on. This was from a stationary camera facing the centre of the stage.

Which Moves More, The Camera Or The Actors?

At this time the cameras that were used were stationary and so had to stay in line with the centre of the stage, and far enough back so that the whole stage could fit into the frame. As a result of this because the camera could not move, the actors had to keep moving around in front of the camera, as opposed to the camera moving around or with the actors, as we are used to seeing in modern day films.

What Is The Purpose Of The Film?

This was the point when entertainment was first thought of to be used in films. Since George Mlis used to be in the entertainment business when he found out about films, he was the one to think of 3|Page

Page |4 using films for entertainment. So at this point the purpose of film was to entertain.

First Feature Film D.W Griffith A Birth Of A Nation What Shots Are Included In The Film By D.W Griffiths?
A Birth of a Nation by D.W Griffith was made in 1915 and was of the relationship between two families in civil war and reconstruction-era America. It is really important as it was the first ever feature film which was a commercial success; a feature film is a film that has a long enough run time to be considered to be the sole film to fill a program. According to the British Film Institute, a feature film lasts for 40 minutes or longer. Although A Birth of a Nation was a commercial success, due to not much editing and a lot of props and set locations, it cost a lot of money and so did not make that much of a profit. D.W Griffiths editing style is an improvement upon George Mlis editing style as he made his films using multiple different camera shots and angles as opposed to the one stationary camera shot. This also meant that he freely moved the camera around the actors, as opposed to the actors having to move around in front of the camera. Griffiths also managed to film in multiple set locations as opposed to George Mlis who had to make up the set location using props.

What Is The Reason For Showing This Variety Of Shots?

The reason that D.W. Griffith used this variety of shots was because he could. This was the first time the camera was moved around to be able to get different shots of the scene; so he used this variety of shots to show that it was possible to do this.

Film Vs. Video Digital Vs. Analogue Film looks has a soft and smooth look to it when projected, and the image quality does not falter when made bigger. While digital video has a sharper image quality, and has more of a
4|Page

Page |5

rigid appearance to it. But the image quality does get worse when made bigger. Film is harder to use compared to digital video, as you are unable to see the result of the shoot straight away. While if digital video is used, then you are able to see the results straight away and decide if the shoot needs to be shot again. Film is a lot more expensive which is due to the cost of the film being used and the high cost of having the film developed. Also if the film needs a reshoot then this will bump up the cost by a lot as well. While digital video is a lot cheaper as you dont have to pay for any film and to have it developed.

Session 3 Montage
Cutting & Montage Lev Kuleshov How Does Lev Kuleshov Experiment Work?
Lev Kuleshov thought that the editing was the most important thing in filmmaking. He is very popular due to the Kuleshov effect. This is when you decide on the emotions of the character and so how the audience perceives it by putting different things before or after the character. For example if you had a picture of someone gasping then showed a picture of some of an a half-eaten slice of cake, then the audience will think that the character is gasping due to someone eating a bit of his cake. But if you have someone gasping then see a criminal with a gun pointed at a hostages head then the audience will think that he is gasping due to that.

The shots that Lev Kuleshov used were a bowl of soup for the first shot, then the second shot was of a person staring into the camera. This gave the impression to the audience that the person was looking at the soup, and that he looked hungry because of it. The next shot the he showed was of a dead girl, then the same person staring into the camera again. This time it makes the audience think that the person is looking at the dead girl, and that he looks sad because of it. Finally he shows a shot of a woman lying down, then the same face again. This time the audience will think that the person is

5|Page

Page |6 looking at the woman, and that his facial expression shows lust for her, this time.

Soviet Montage & Sergei Eisenstein How Was Eisensteins Style Of Editing Different To Normal Hollywood Films At This Time?
A soviet montage is when you take a scene that you wouldnt normally be able to easily film, such falling down a flight of stairs or getting stabbed. You then take this scene and record lots of little bits separately often showing a single limb performing an action, such as an arm bringing a knife down, a foot slipping or a hand or leg flailing around, and often taken from different angles as well. You then take these little clips and put them all together, allowing you to create a scene that you would not normally be able to film. This kind of montage editing is usually used for death scenes or for intimate scenes that you dont want to be too explicit.

How Does He Show A Grenade Being Thrown And Then Exploding?

In Oktober by Sergei Eisenstein, to show someone throwing a grenade, he showed a shot of an army officer take out a grenade, pull his grenade arm back as if he is about to throw it. A shot is then shown of the army officer throw his arm forward, but cuts before it shows him let go of the grenade. A shot of an explosion is then shown a distance away, giving the audience the impression that the army officer threw the grenade without actually throwing it outright in one whole single clip.

Hitchcock & Montage & Psycho Shower Scene How Does Hitchcock Describe Montage?
Hitchcock describes montage as the assembly of pieces of film to create an idea. He explains that this is done by using lots of little pieces of film to create the scene impressionistically.

How Has He Used That In The Shower Scene In Psycho?

6|Page

Page |7 Hitchcock explains that because the scene would contain a nude woman in a shower, and have her getting stabbed, the scene would not be able to be film outright. As a result of this, the way that he could film this scene would be through montage editing. He took lots of little clips of film that could be used in this scene, such as a clip of the shower head, a clip of her hand, a shot of the torso or a close up of her screaming. This allowed the scene to be slowly built up by lots of small pieces of clips that each shows a little bit of what happens in the scene. When the scene is finally done, the audience will be able to picture the scene happing without seeing performed outright in front of them.

How Did I Use Montage To Show Something Impossible

The scene that I made that would have been impossible to do unless you used montage, is that I showed someone falling down a flight of stairs and dying. The way that I performed that was I took lots of short shots from a variety of angles, at each stage of the person falling down the stairs. These short shots include things like a flailing hand, a foot slipping or the persons facial expression. I then chose and used the shots that I wanted to show at each stage of the scene. Once the whole scene had been put together, it gave the impression to the audience that the person actually fell down the stairs.

Session 5 Jump Cuts, Match Cuts & Transitions

Shots Shot Types Describe What Each Shot Is & Why You Would Use It
The first shot type that I used was an over-the-shoulder shot type. This is usually used when two characters are having a conversation a conversation with each other, or you want the audience to see what the character is looking at in the same shot as doing something else. 7|Page

Page |8 The second shot type used is a wide shot. This is usually used when you want to place the characters in a scene, or you want to see what the characters are doing while still be able to see what is happening in the scene around them.

The third shot type is a low angle shot type. The low angle shot type is generally used when you want a certain character to look dominant over another character. You could also use it when you want a character to look like they are in control and know what they are doing. The fourth shot type is the worms-eye view shot type. This is when the camera is close to looking directly upwards at a character, and is a more extreme version of the low angle shot type. The worms-eye view shot type is generally used when you want the subject or scenery to look bigger than they actually do, or to look more threatening and dangerous. The fifth shot type used the camera is held above down on the character at you want the character to without is the high angle shot type. This is when eye-level of the character and is looking a slight angle. This is usually used when look submissive and weak, or uncertain and control of the situation.

The sixth shot type used is the Point Of View shot type which is also known as the POV shot type. This is when the shot is of the scene through one of the characters eyes; this allows the audience to see the scene from a certain characters perspective. The point of view shot is usually used when you want the audience to share the same experience as a certain character, or allow the audience to see a set of events from a specific characters perspective. The seventh shot type is the long shot type. This is when the shot is of the whole character at a in the scene but at a distance. The long shot type is used when you want to place the character in a setting, and to show minor detail but over a large place.

The eighth shot is the mid shot. This is when the shot composes of roughly half of the subjects body, such as from the waist up. The mid shot is general used when you want to show the subject in a bit more detail, while giving an impression on the whole scene.

Jump Cuts Who Directed The Film Breathless?

8|Page

Page |9 The film Breathless was directed by Jean Luc Goddard.

Why Was His Use Of Jump Cuts Unusual?

Unlike most other directors, Jean Luc Goddard liked to use jump cuts, as they made the story run faster although it gave the film a bit more of a messy look to it. But Jean Luc Goddard preferred his films this way; he wanted the audience to know and remember that they were watching a film.

How Do You Normally Hide A Jump Cut?

The way that you would normally hide a jump cut would be by inserting a separate clip in the middle so the audiences eyes is drawn away for a moment making the jump cut a lot less noticeable.

Match Cuts What Is A Match Cut?

A match cut is when a scene changes, but the composition and visual movement is the same. The two scenes also usually have a visual relationship as well. The visual relationship could be through the same size and shape of the object that the audiences eye is focused on, or the two scenes could have a related or same meaning behind them.

Which Of The Three Examples Is The Best Match Cut?

I think that the best match cut is the Art of the dissolve clip. This is because the clips between the avalanche and the womans hair are very similar. This is because both the avalanche and the hair have the same colour, which also makes the transition between the two clips very smooth. Also when the avalanche is playing, it is coming towards the screen, and then it transitions to zooming out of the womans hair; the movement of the clips are the same, making the match cut very effective.

Transitions What Is A Transition?

A transition is the way in that the current scene switches to the next scene. An example of this would be having the current scene 9|Page

P a g e | 10 fade into the next scene. Depending on the kind of transition that is used between scenes, it could make the film look more exciting and dynamic, or a lot smoother and relaxed.

When Is It Used In A Film & Why?

A transition is able to be used in a film when the scene changes, but not when the shot changes. Transitions are usually used to make the film flow more easily and make the change between scenes a lot smoother; this will help to allow the audience to lose themselves in the film. It could also be used to emphasise the change of scene, so that the audience definitely know that the storyline has moved on to a time or location.

Two Examples Of A Transition

An example of a smoother transition would be using a fade or dissolve transition between scenes, as it is more relaxing for the audiences eye.

While a more dynamic transition would be a slide or zoom transition, as there is more to visually to look at. This draws the audiences eye away from the story, and is reminded that they are watching a film, but it also breaks the story up allowing the audience to know that the film is moving onto the next part of the storyline.

Session 6 Timing & Pace

Timing & Pace Describe The Timing & Pace Of The Two Scenes
The opening scene for James Bond Quantum of Solace has a very fast pace. This is due to the time of each shot being shortened down to about a second, and using lots of different shots as well. This gives the audience an effect of suspense, tension and being unnerved, which is all brought on by the fast pace of each shot not being on-screen for very long before it changes again.

10 | P a g e

P a g e | 11 While the ending scene of Lost In Translation has a much more slow pace to it, with each shot staying on-screen for a while before it is changed to a different shot. This gives the audience the impression that everything is running smoothly, and is calm and happy without any tension.

What Effect Does The Genre Have On The Pacing Of The Film?
The Genre of the film has a great deal on the timing and pace. If the genre is action, then the pace of the film will be fast to make it look more interesting, to keep the audiences anticipation high, and to keep them on the edge of their seat, and to make the action look faster than it actually is. As a result of this, in the action scenes, each shot will only last a couple of settings before switching to a different shot. While if the genre is a romance then the pace will be a lot slower to emphasise on the characters actions or conversations. As a result of this each of the shots will each last quite a few seconds.

Cutting On The Beat What Is Cutting On The Beat?

Cutting on the beat is when each consecutive shot is cut on the beat of the music that is being played alongside the video. Cutting on the beat is when the shot is cut on a specific beat of the music that is being played. Each consecutive shot is also cut when that beat in the music being played comes up.

How Would You Edit This Effectively In Premiere Pro?

The way that you would effectively edit cutting on the beat in premiere pro, would be to find where each of the beats are on the audio file, then place a marker on each one. You would then cut each shot on each of the markers, and put the next shot in.

Describe An Effective Cutting On The Beat

11 | P a g e

P a g e | 12 An effective cutting on the beat would be having the shot switch the next shot precisely on each of the beats in the music file that is being played alongside the video, and it is not out of synch with the video at all.

Session 7 Seamless Editing & Continuity

Continuity Editing What Is A Shot-Reverse-Shot & Why Do You Use It?
A shot-reverse-shot is when there is two people are having a conversation and the camera is focused on the first person that is talking from where the other person would be. Then when the other person starts to talk, the camera reverses positions and focuses on the other character from where the first character would be. Then the first character would start talking again and the camera reverse its position again, so that it would be back to its original position; focusing on the first character from where the other character would be.

We would use this when filming conversation that characters have, as due to each of the characters saying something in the conversation the camera would have to keep switching focus to the character that is talking.

What Is The 180 Degree Rule?

The 180 degree rule is the rule in filming where when filming characters talking, only film on one side of the characters. This means when the camera focuses on each of the characters in turn, it looks like they are actually looking at each other when they are talking, and so it looks more natural. Otherwise if the characters were filmed from both sides then on-screen it does not look like they are actually looking at each other when they are talking, and it looks a lot more unnatural.

How Is It Used In The Social Network Break-Up Scene?

In The Social Network break-up scene, the two characters are sitting at opposite ends of the table talking. At the start of the scene an over the shoulder shot is used on the character that starts off the conversation, and then switches to an over the shoulder shot of the second character when they start to talk. This allows the 12 | P a g e

P a g e | 13 audience to see the positions that the characters are in, and which side of them that is being filmed. For the rest of the conversation medium close ups are used for each of the characters that is talking, so that only they are in the shot. When each of the characters is talking they are looking over towards the opposite side as if they were talking to the other person, as seen in the over the shoulder shot. The camera never moves to film them from the other side of the table because otherwise the two characters would not look as though they are looking at each other when they are talking.

What Is Continuity Editing?

Continuity Editing is when the editing looks invisible, so that the time and space of each shot in a scene matches the next; the viewer cannot be distracted by anything.

How Does A Continuity Error Interrupt Seamless Editing?

A continuity error is when a consecutive shot does not match its predecessor, whether this is due to the time being different, or an object in the scene being moved or misplaced, or the actors appearance or clothing looking different to the last shot.

Session 8 Multiple Points Of View & Parallel Editing

Parallel Editing Describe What Parallel Editing Is
Parallel editing is when two separate stories are being played at the same time, and the scene keeps switching between the two stories to show what each one is doing.

In The Godfather What Two Different Stories Are We Being Shown At The Same Time?
In The Godfather the two different stories that are being shown at the same time is the peaceful baptism sequence in the church, and the sequence of murders that is performed to various people out and about on the streets. 13 | P a g e

P a g e | 14

Why Did The Director, Francis Ford Coppola, Choose These Two Very Different Sequences?
Francis Ford Coppola chose these very different sequences as it contradicts the kind of person that he is promoting himself to be. You are able to tell this as he is in a church having his nephew baptised, and is renouncing his sins, yet at the very same time he has ordered his men to kill a lot of people. This tells the audience that he is showing himself to be a good and holy person, yet he still non directly commits sin.

Multiple Perspectives Describe The Different Ways You Could Tell The Same Story From Multiple Points Of View
One of the ways that you could tell the same story from multiple perspectives is by showing the story from multiple characters points of view. This could be done by showing a clip for each character on the screen at the same time. All of the clips would need to be showing what was happening for each of the characters separately, but at the same point in time. Another way that you could tell a story from multiple perspectives is by showing multiple versions of the story, such as showing each way that the story could have turned out.

Describe How The Film 500 Days Of Summer Used Split-Screen To Tell A Story From Multiple Perspectives
500 Days Of Summer used split-screen to tell the story from multiple perspectives. It used on side of the screen to show how he wanted the story to turn out, which were his expectations. Then on the other side of the screen it showed how the story actually turned out, which was the reality version of the story.

How Is This Different To The Method Used In The Thomas Crown Affair & Which Is Better?
14 | P a g e

P a g e | 15 While in The Thomas Crown Affair it also has the screen split into multiple sections. This time it shows how the story happens, but from multiple characters perspectives. This is done by each part of the screen showing a certain characters point of view and how the story unfolds for them. I think that the method that was used in The Thomas Crown Affair is better than the method that was used in 500 Days Of Summer. This is because it allows the audience to have more of an in-depth experience with the story, as they are able to see how it was for other characters other than the main character. While the method used in 500 Days Of Summer does to particularly reveal much more to the audience, making it a less attractive choice to go for.

15 | P a g e