Category: Practical

The Hunger Games: Filming

Our filming began in the classroom. The director decided that in order to use a montage in our editing, we needed many shots in this classroom. Unfortunately, this came at the cost of time. We spent probably 30 minutes of our 50 minutes allocated filming time in the classroom. This was, in part, due to the shots not always being in focused (next time we need to make sure that the camerawoman can focus shots more quickly). In addition to this, due to our lack of effective storyboarding, the director was unsure of which shots to record. This added a lot of time onto a filming task hinged on a 50 minute time – limit. We should have had a clear shot list for each location that the director was following. This could have been achieved with effective storyboarding.

My task, to record the sound, was unique considering the lack of dialogue in our film. I recorded the one word of dialogue in this scene, in addition to the sound made from objects. One can’t help but think that if I just recorded the sound and the critical sound effects, this would have saved time in editing. This should have been orchestrated by the director, instead, I recorded lots of clips with a lot of inconsequential sound. Equally, it would have been helpful to say aloud the scene the sound corresponded to, in order to help with post – production. For example, the camera and sound could both be recording whilst the director said something to the effect of ‘Scene 1, Clip 1, Action’. We did use a clipper board that helped to sync up the sound with the video in post – production.

After we finished recording in the classroom, we began to alter the appearance of James, using exaggerated mise – en – scene in the style of German expressionism. Whilst we initially just added a bandage to the head of James, the props became increasingly more ludicrous. This did pose some continuity editing challenges, where the appearance of James was not constant throughout. In order to have avoided this, the director should have been checking before each new recording whether or not James looked the same.

As we started to film James’ first altercation with another character, another group began to film close to us. This made recording the sound difficult as the microphone was picking up sound from the other group. The director should have spoken to the other directors at the start of the task to make sure that we were filming in a different location to the other groups.

As we progressed down the stairs, the director wanted to film an unnecessarily – intricate scene on the stairs. There was no sound for this and the filming was complex because of the angles involved. This wasted time and the recording was too incoherent to include in my finished film.

Our filming continued in the same way, until we reached the end of what we intended to be the conclusion of our film. Although we had improved from the last time we did a practical, for example, most of the shots were in focus and the microphone recorded most of the desired sounds, I still feel that there is room for improvement. The director should have had a clear plan, including, for example, the shots that he wanted to record and the locations we were intending to use. Hopefully, we can implement more of a strategic filming technique for our next practical.

The Hunger Games: Location Scout and Storyboards

 

Top left = Canteen corridor

Top right = Canteen entrance 1

Middle left = Canteen entrance 2

Middle right = Main stairs

Bottom left = Classroom entrance

Bottom right = Main stairs 2

First and foremost, we are missing a few locations from our finished product. Namely, a photograph of: the classroom itself, the second set of stairs used, the bottom of the second set of stairs and the corridor leading to the canteen.

Nevertheless, the photographs allowed us to plan the sequence of events that would take place in our film. The next time that we do a practical, we need to make sure that all of our locations have been scouted and photographed. This could be done by making sure that we do a hand – drawn storyboard initially, in order to get a rough idea of how the story progresses. In addition to this, next time, the director needs to co – ordinate with the other directors to make sure that we are all spread out. There were a few occasions when we were filming close to another group and this interfered with our filming, as well as their filming.

The Hunger Games: Introduction and Treatment

For our next practical task, we had a focus around editing techniques. The idea was that we were to construct a narrative that revolved around two people racin* to ge5 to the canteen. The editing techniques we studied previously were to be used to enhance our film. I had the task of recording the sound; however, there was little dialogue in our film. We also as a director, a camerawoman and two actors. The director had the creative input for the film and we followed his ideas to achieve his creative vision for the film.

James and Andrew are seated in a vast room, when, all of a sudden, Andrew says go. James then hurriedly puts his possessions in his bag; whereas, Andrew takes his time. The two then leave the room and a race to the canteen ensues. Whilst Andrew is taking his time to get there, James is clearly determined to win. This comes at a cost. James becomes increasingly more injured as he comes across increasingly more hostile distractions. James’ plight was meaningless when it is revealed that the canteen has run out of food.

Adventures In Editing

Parallel editing – 

When two events are cut between each other, showing that they are taking place at the same time.

J and L cuts –

J cuts take place when the sound of one scene precedes the visual action of it. L cuts are when the same sound continues over two separate visual sequences.

Hidden cuts –

When an obvious cut is hidden with an action or an object.

Graphic match –

When a visual action or shape stays the same and the surroundings or location change.

Jump cut –

Where a progression of time is shown through a sudden cut where the visual objects being shown change; however, the camera shot and position of the camera don’t.

Match – on – action –

Where an action is shown from two different perspectives via. a cut. For example, if somebody was opening a door, the view might switch from a long shot of them opening the door to a close – up of their hand actually opening the door.

Montage – 

Montages are used to condense a lot of information into a short period of time, through the grouping together of multiple different shots. Montages are often accompanied with a backing track of music.