Implementation of the Stills

The Implementation of Stills:

After Practicing Each Shot as a Still in an older post, I will try to adapt them to make them into a more cinematic filmlike quality. These shots need to be well made to add to the opening as they are the highlights or important scenes that need to be in the film. I will say this I did not mention the requirements in each of the shots in the original, that is why they are in this post. So, let's start chronologically with the second shot leaving the house.

Scene 1 Shot 2:

This scene was a trial and error, mostly due to the positioning of talent and the cars they were heading to. We cross reference the footage, with the previous shots to try to get the positioning right. We were able to push through it and build a shot. This shot requirements for the camera was:

• Low Level
• High Angle

Which was changed, to hid one talent who could not come on the second day of filming. That is why there is a leg in the frame to show the talent.

Scene 1 Shot 2

This was a successful attempt with the talent walking down in a semi suitable way, more of a girl boss way than a tipsy way, but what can you expect the talent who have never drunk alcohol before to act drunk and or tipsy. But minus for the talents, the cinematography went well with no movement of the equipment; no real issue would occur. The background, purposefully blurred to draw your attention to who is there. 

Scene 1 Shot 3:

This shot is similar to the last with low to no movement. This is balanced through the addition of an over the shoulder shot. The camera has to be closer and balanced with the talent, the only hurdle. With the requirements including:

• Set tripod less than 1 foot behind the person.
• Frame in a Frame
• Tripod set less than the talent's height (Less than 5foot 4inches, in our case)

Scene 1 Shot 3

Looking at the raw footage (not the distorted YouTube version that you see) see that the lighting looks well, creating a good contrast between the outside freedom with friends and being alone. There is a problem with the continuity; the car is in the wrong spot. (Not seen in any blogs at the moment) I did not catch this when filming, but I am going to have to put more effort to fix this for the final film. 

Scene 1 Shot 4:

This shot's purpose is to foreshadow who is the murder through the cards. So, this shot needs to show emphasis on this through shallow focus and a low angle shot on the cards. While all of that is happening in the background, the pieces are picked up. With the requirements laid out, here is the shot.

Cards Scene 1 Shot 4

This footage follows the requirements. Even with a slightly different angle closer to the cards, it shows the board more often and uses it as the horizon line. This shot follows the requirements and works for our film.

Scene 1 Shot 5:

This scene in all intense and purpose was combined with the subsequent tracking shot into the same shot to hide one's reflection. I failed to mention this in the Tracking Shots- Implementing blog, but the shot as mentioned in the blog, turned out good.

Scene 1 Shot 7:

This shot is an over-shoulder shot that has the same placement and requirements as Shot 3 before it, but purely outside and the camera is facing the setting sun, that will create more shadows. My Shadow has a tendency to show up in frame, when practicing.

Scene 1 Shot 7 Implementation

To compare the actual shot and the practice shot, I moved the talent and camera closer to the wall. This change was mainly due to a tracking shot that I did before this shot and where the actor ended. But this shot gave me time to practice performance-driven staging, which helped with the first shots that were filmed after, due to make-up of the talent falling apart.

Scene 1 Shot 8-9

This shot I wanted to do a POV shot to show the person actually finding the body. This was risky and I asked the talent playing the host to hold it as she would to open an actual door. The main problem with this shot is that we cannot redo it, due to the talent of the dead person being out of town for re-shots. Which was not anticipated by the talent and the film crew. I am worried for this scene, even if it is 7 seconds.

Scene 1 Shot 8

The shot went well even with some worries discussed earlier in this section. I will admit this look tolerable, still my worst shot.

Overview

All of the shots were mostly well made with a few concerns that were to the lack of planning and clear specifications in my shot list. If we need to redo shots the editor is going to work their magic. But the application of the shots was useful in understanding the composition better.