Pink Panther Opening Film Credits

At the beginning we are introduced immediatly to the main motif/ character of the film which is the Pink Panther, and the dark background with the spotlight diverts our attention directily at it which makes us focused. The pitch blackness is also effective because we are not distracted by any other actions but the panther- which is the important character. We see the opening credits while there is acton of the Pink Panther and they are not separate (i.e. just the credits). I think that this is effective because it is entertaining and so therefore we are motivated to watch it.
Another thing I found interesting was when the character actually interacted with the credit titles and crashed them with his hand. This connects the credits with the animated characters and therefore makes us pay more attention to them. When the actual title of the movie came on, the colours is parralel to the film as it is pink and the letters are also really long and extended so reinforce the character of the panther.
Overall, I thought that this was a successful way to present the opening film credits because some of the other films I watched were quite boring, but because there is an animated action in the background which is more visually entertaining. The music is parralel to the action we see because it is fun and matches the detective character.

Continuity Editing

Continuity editing

Continuity editing is also referred to as invisible editing, is a technique of cutting used to maintain clear and continuous action by following a set of rules. This is all done in the post-production stage.  I think this is very effective because it creates a sense of fluidity when the viewers are watching a film/ programme and so they barely notice the edits.  One reason that this is used is to try and make the film as real as possible and so the audience can be drawn into a world which is realistic and not obvious that they are watching a film.  
What is also effective and unique about this type of editing is that it allows the audience to see a wide shot cut to a close-up shot; something our eyes cannot do in real life. Without continuity editing, the film may not be as fluent to watch but this type of editing allows the viewers to fully immerse and follow the story.  

This is an example of continuity editing from an episode of Eastenders because a lot of the shots can be from a close-up shot to a long-shot etc and change really quieckly without actually noticing the editing techniques. This is used as a way of retaining our concentration and making us merge in with the characters and the way they are feeling/reacting. It allows us to feel like it is reality and not like we are actually watching a programme, making us want to watch more and more.

Match on action 

This is also an editing technique for continuity editing where one shot cuts onto the other portraying the same action as in the first shot.  This creates the impression of a sense of continuity and fluidity which draws the viewer’s attention away from slight cutting or continual issues. All this says to the audience is that when one shot ends another will pick up where the other left off making the reality of the film fluid and continuous.

The clip above from Victor Flemings The Wizard of Oz (1939) shows an example of this match on action. Miss Gulch is seen riding her bicycle, moving to the right, for the majority of the short clip., then at the cut we see her riding her bicycle coming in the direction towards the viewer. The speed at which she is riding does not change, which adds to the continuity and flow of the one shot to the next. These shots may have been recorded at different times but the match on action technique makes them flow and connects them more. We know that while the camera cut to a different angle of view the entirety of the clip shown is meant to be taken as a single action (riding the bicycle) happening at the same point in time.

Establishing Shot

This type of shot may be basic but is actually most commonly used. It is a way of establishing a scene so that the audience are aware of where the action is taking place.

The above clip comes from Shashunk, where is shows an overview of the prison. We as an audience are able to see where this is set and as we focus more into the shot we can see the prison, which the main building where the majority of the film is set so we need to be familiarized with it, demonstrating the importance of this setting.

POV- Point of View Shot

This shot tries to place the camera as a character, making the audience have physical mass inside of the film reality and creating tension because we feel most of the time we are spying on a character.  
For example, at the end of the clip from Halloween we get a POV where we feel that we are entering the house ourselves.  The eerie music and hearing the sound of the footsteps adds to the tension and we except some violence to happen as this is a thriller movie.

Often this effect is employed to help the audience empathize with the main character, or to restrict their view strictly to that of the characters.

Eye-line Match

This is where we see the character looking at something but we as an audience do not know what this is, adding tension because we are eager to find out what it is that we’re missing out. Then the camera shows a shot of what the character was looking at, matching their eye-line.
The clip below shows a good example of an eyeline match where we see the character looking at something which she appears to be extremely shocked but the audience have not seen it yet. 

Shot-reverse shot

Shot reverse shot is a continuity editing technique used mainly in conversations of characters. This shot shows what the character is supposedly looking at (either at a POV or filming from their shoulder) and is followed by a reverse shot of the character themselves looking at the person talking to them. Shot reverse shot often ties in with the 180 degrees rule to retain continuity by not distorting the audience’s sense of location of the character’s in the shots.

An example is the clip below where we see a shot reverse shot of one of the characters talking to another person filmed from the shoulder of each character. 

Parallel Editing

Parallel editing is a technique of alternating two or more scenes that often occur simultaneously but in different locations. This is effective because it creates suspense and is just more visually entertaining and interest to watch than if they were shown in order of what happens. It also gets the sense that it is a high budget film where thought is being put into the editing process and in return has a great effect of being visually interesting.
The following is a popular and famous example of parallel editing from The Silence in the Lambs. Many different scenes are shown one after the other to create the climax and draw the viewers in because they see action from different locations and gain more information about what is happening.

Genre- Horror

Horror

Narrative

• Suspense
• Escape and chase (i.e. a bad character after a good one)
• dramatic climax
• Evil spirits or other supernatural things
• a haunted house 
• death (can be a main theme)
• a psychopath terrorises a small community or a group of friends

Setting

• Horror films are usually set amongst a dark place which adds an increasing amount of tension and an eerie atmosphere
• Isolated houses/ castles are also commonly used
• Dark forests where something out of the ordinary may emerge

 Characters

• Horror films often involve a bad villain chasing after a more vulnerable character
• Can be a monster such as in Frankenstein, where everyone is afraid of him because of his appearance
• Other supernatural characters involve witches, devils and demons which are very gothic and part of a horror genre as they usually do evil

Music

• The music often involves non-diagetic sound which can be fast- paced to increase the adrenaline, but slow but screeching music can add tension and suspense
• The music normally builds up with the action we see and gets louder and more hectic, drawing us in.
• Sound effects are also very common in a horror move genre such as gun shots, screaming and footsteps; this inevitably creates much curiosity and supspense. Other sound effects which are effective for this type of genre can be breathing sound, as heavy breathing may increase insensity and fear.

Lightening

• Dark, low key lightening
•  Shadows
• dim/ foggy atmosphere to increase intensity

Mis-En Scene

• Usually in horror movies character's wear dark clothing which symbolises death, dasness and depression
• Other props can include dark lipstick, glowing eyes if it used vampires, witches wtc
• May have fake blood to add the tension and create images surrounding death, cobwebs creating an unkept atmopshere, graveyards, bats, etc

Frankenstein is a horror movie because it involves a monster, has a theme of death, revenge and darkness, which are all conventions of a horror genre.

This is a horror movie because it involves the supernatural and a lot of the scenes are dark where the people are consealed in darkness/ small environments adding increasing pressure and tension. The characters all wear dark clothing to add to the climax of the horror and some even have black hair colour/ make-up.  The frequent pitch black screen and screaming further adds to the idea that this is a horror movie and the rapid shot changes creating increasing tension; expecially when some of the shots shake vigorously.

Jaws

Jaws- Sound Notes

1.      Bubbling sound of sharks arrival- preparing us for what’s about to happen later. The sound bridge is the sound which we hear before the scene which again prepares us for the scene, creating tension.

2.       Quieter non-diegetic sound which increases tension of Sharks arrival and shows the Jaws motif, makes it memorable.

3.       Sounds readily speed up to slowly build the tension up and therefore adrenaline of the people watching that something is not right.

4.      High pitching and screeching strings which illustrate the shark getting close are the biting of shark which adds fright to audience. This also shows the danger and the even fast non-diegetic sound increases the tension even more.

5.      Contrasts sounds from the beginning underwater sound, lots of diegetic chatter, laughter and music being played shows how normal everything is compared to before.

6.      The gate shape across the beach makes it appear like the sharks teeth which prepare us that it is getting closer. The diegetic music and dialogue is slowly fading which tells us that we are distancing from safety.

7.      Quiet, ambient sound, peaceful diegetic sound of water- things are still normal

8.      Gentle sound slightly getting louder

9.      The bubble movement grows which is like the  shark is swimming and getting closer to woman, illustrating tat she might be in danger

10.  The fast movement of non-diegetic sound add eeriness which exemplifies the fast, unpredictable movement of the shark

11.  The screeching high pitched sound shows shark non-diegetic sound, maybe it is like the shark is getting hold of the woman.

12.  Non-diegetic sound is increasing louder and louder, tension is inevitable rising as we are waiting for the moment

13.  Continuous growth of loud music and high pitched instrumental non-diegetic sound, highlight extremity

14.   Contrasts from previous scene. The parallel calm diegetic sound of water matches the relaxed mood the man is feeling and what he is hearing, this is certainly from what the woman was feeling before.