Second Attempt With A Camera

Above is my groups second attempt with using a camera. This attempt was much better than the first as we really focused on the advice Mr Buckmaster gave us such as setting the camera up perfectly before hand, meaning we did not have to move it much when filming. We also tried to remember head space for example on the shot when we paned we did two run throughs before filming to make sure my head was never cut off.

We started by panning a high-angle medium shot (up to 0.08) from the top of the stairs following me walking up them, we filmed this on the science block stairs as we new the lighting was good there as there's lots of natural light from all the windows. In this we really tried to make the panning smooth by keeping the camera on a tripod. We also started filming for five seconds before I started moving, and made sure we had the right amount of head space before we filmed.

The next shot was a birds eye view (0.09) of me sat on the floor, which we again filmed from the top of the stairs, this shot was a lot easier to film as we did not have to move the camera (but we did slightly by accident). To make the shot better we would have needed more leg space/less head space and we should of thought about the rule of thirds instead of making me centre of the shot.

The last shot we did was a reverse angle shot, we started with a close-up of me staring at something and then filmed the back of my head and Sam in the background as if I was staring at him. Sam stood by the window in the shot to hide his face, nearly making a silhouette, to create the illusion he was mysterious/ dangerous. In this shot we thought about the rule of three and Sam and I were never central.
Our last shot was a low-angle shot at 0.24, however, this was not very successful as we did not set up the camera very well so I cropped most of it out.

Our second attempt was much better, although we did less shots they were higher quality.

First Attempt With A Camera

The video above is my groups first attempt with a camera, we took turns to make different camera shots and movements. Our filming wasn't the best as we did not set up our camera very well before each shot so I have put ways to improve and what we did wrong after most of the shots.

We started with a panning long shot up to 0.05 seconds showing most of the field. The movement could of been a lot smother on this and we should have weighed up the ratio of trees in the shot in comparison to the ratio of grass.
We then moved to a medium long shot at 0.07 then a medium shot (two character shot) before filming we should have thought about our head space in both of these shots.
After that we went onto a medium close-up at 0.11, this shot was quite wonky, we ought to of checked this before filming.
We then moved onto a slight low angle close-up showing my face and surroundings at 0.14 and a big close-up at 0.17.
My group then attempted a reverse angle shot at 0.19, however, I thought it did not look very effective as the actress was not really looking at anything so we just filmed a blank space.
Our second to last shot was a another low-angle shot at 0.23, however because the light was behind our actress it was hard to see her face.
The last shot was a high angle shot at 0.25.

Once we had finished we watched everyone's back in class, Mr Buckmaster gave helpful feedback such as:
-Through out our shots we need to remember to keep the camera still (unless panning, tracking, crabbing etc.)
-We also need to position our camera exactly how we want to before we start filming and do a count down from five before filming
-We need to think a about lighting, if lighting behind the character is too strong then you wont be able to see their face
- The last tip he gave us was to think about head space before we start filming

Casino Royale Camera Shot Analysis

In today's lesson my group watched the beginning of Casino Royale- torture scene (click to watch up to 1 minute) and listed the main camera shots of the start of the scene and evaluated them. We were also told the very useful website Daily Motion.

The first main shot we noticed was a high angle medium close-up (at 0.02) which showed Bond on the floor, this made him look vulnerable as we see him in the eyes of Le Chiffre looking over him.

The next significant shot was at 0.08, this shot is a big close up of Bonds face which exaggerates his emotions (him looking scared and not at ease).

After that there is a reverse shot showing the door being closed and locked at 0.12 (which is what Bond is looking at worriedly) and then a close up back to James Bond at 0.17.

The forth main camera shot we spotted was a low angle shot of Le Chiffre (at 0.19), this shot shows that he has more power over Bond in the scene and makes him appear to have a higher status.

There is next a close up of the prop Le Chiffre is holding (at 0.23) a piece of rope to beat Bond, this shot exaggerates it and shows its significance in the scene.

The camera then goes on to a medium shot to show the setting and Le Chiffre walking around Bond, we see that James Bond is very helpless in this moment in the scene (this shot is at 0.33).

At 0.44 we see a medium close up of Bond and Le Chiffre talking to him over his shoulder, because of the lighting in this shot Bond is bright where as Le Chiffre is coming from the shadows and so has a shadow cast upon the sides of his face, extending the idea of Le Chiffre being the 'baddy'.

The last main shot was another close-up of the rope being swung by Le Chiffre (at 0.58) before hitting Bond, this builds up tension until he actually hit him.

Through out the scene the camera shots are slow, building the tension until Bond is tortured or we think he will tell Le Chiffre the information. The camera shots also follow the rules of third and most shots are not central.