In order to convey my chosen genre of film; romance, I researched the camerawork, editing and lighting that was used. I looked at the common camera conventions from my genre specific deconstructions and from some other films in the genre, looking at their semantic meanings and the atmosphere being created for the audience.
I noticed that mid- shots are frequently used to set the scene, as a way to establish the time, place and characters involved in the scene. This was used a lot in Love, Rosie, allowing the audience to feel more a part of the characters' community and relationship. An example of this would be in the trailer for Love, Rosie, where Rosie and Alex are sat at the beach and a mid shot is shown of Greg and the rest of their classmates at a beach party. This is different from common establishing shots in horror films where forming a relationship with the characters is generally less important, reflected in the further distancing of the establishing shots. For example, this idea is used in the horror film Insidious as an establishing shot of the house (a famous convention of horror films), and again in The Orphan when an establishing shot is used of the girl on the climbing frame. Whilst not important in these horror films, in romance or teen films this helps the audience to understand and interpret situations and demographics of the various characters. In order to relate to films in my chosen genre, I will have a lot of establishing shots which are mid-shots as opposed to other genres where they are mostly long or extreme long shots. I will use a lot of establishing shots due to the plot of my film following the characters around to different locations.
As the common target audience of romance films tend to be attracted by predominantly aspiration towards the characters, I noticed that this was linked into romance films by the use of low angle titled up shots. Low angle tilted up shots are often used to represent how the audience are looking up to the characters and their love story. I will aim to use a lot of these camera angles, however, I think that in filming I may choose not to include too many of these as I am aiming to focus on relatability to the characters rather than aspiration.
In my research I found that panning and tracking movements are commonly used in order to represent the attachment between the two characters in the film, shown through them following each other or walking together. In response to this, I plan to use a few tracking shots of my couple walking and holding hands. As these movements are usually quite slow and controlled, I plan on replicating this speed and also reflect this in the speed of editing.
I noted that often, close up shots are used to emphasise the significance/importance of certain things in the narrative. Often these are close ups of the characters facial expression or a prop that is being used, showing what they are doing or how they are feeling. It is quite common in romance films for a close up profile shot to be used of one character in the left third of the shot, silhouetted against a bright background. There is then a focus pull from the deep focus on the background to the shallow focus on the character as the other character moves in to the right hand third and they engage in a romantic embrace- usually a kiss. This is a shot that I have seen in a number of romance films such as Twilight and Love, Rosie and also in a range of romance TV dramas such as Wolfblood. I will use this shot in the middle of my trailer in order to clarify the development in their relationship and the current status.
Editing in the romance genre tended to appear quite slow in romantic scenes, yet in intimate or action scenes it was typically aster. In Dear, John, there is fast paced editing of when John is fighting in the army, yet when he is in the bunker reading his female's letters, there is slower paced editing to develop the mood and atmosphere as romantic and cherish able despite the characters not being physically together. I will aim to replicate this in my editing, with fast paced editing used when Flynn is running or in an agitated state, yet slow when there is calm between the couple.
Editing can also be used alongside the soundtrack and other sound editing. Often this consists of fast cuts which can be used in pace with the non-diegetic music in the background. This is an effective way to portray the emotions and atmosphere of the film depending on what action is taking place on the screen. I will use this in my film, where I am considering a few soundtracks I have yet to choose from.
Fades are commonly used to replicate the smoothness of the romantic connection between the two protagonists and how their relationship develops. This will be used a lot on my editing to transition between the montage of shots I am using to give a glimpse at the development of their relationship.
I noticed that mid- shots are frequently used to set the scene, as a way to establish the time, place and characters involved in the scene. This was used a lot in Love, Rosie, allowing the audience to feel more a part of the characters' community and relationship. An example of this would be in the trailer for Love, Rosie, where Rosie and Alex are sat at the beach and a mid shot is shown of Greg and the rest of their classmates at a beach party. This is different from common establishing shots in horror films where forming a relationship with the characters is generally less important, reflected in the further distancing of the establishing shots. For example, this idea is used in the horror film Insidious as an establishing shot of the house (a famous convention of horror films), and again in The Orphan when an establishing shot is used of the girl on the climbing frame. Whilst not important in these horror films, in romance or teen films this helps the audience to understand and interpret situations and demographics of the various characters. In order to relate to films in my chosen genre, I will have a lot of establishing shots which are mid-shots as opposed to other genres where they are mostly long or extreme long shots. I will use a lot of establishing shots due to the plot of my film following the characters around to different locations.
As the common target audience of romance films tend to be attracted by predominantly aspiration towards the characters, I noticed that this was linked into romance films by the use of low angle titled up shots. Low angle tilted up shots are often used to represent how the audience are looking up to the characters and their love story. I will aim to use a lot of these camera angles, however, I think that in filming I may choose not to include too many of these as I am aiming to focus on relatability to the characters rather than aspiration.
In my research I found that panning and tracking movements are commonly used in order to represent the attachment between the two characters in the film, shown through them following each other or walking together. In response to this, I plan to use a few tracking shots of my couple walking and holding hands. As these movements are usually quite slow and controlled, I plan on replicating this speed and also reflect this in the speed of editing.
I noted that often, close up shots are used to emphasise the significance/importance of certain things in the narrative. Often these are close ups of the characters facial expression or a prop that is being used, showing what they are doing or how they are feeling. It is quite common in romance films for a close up profile shot to be used of one character in the left third of the shot, silhouetted against a bright background. There is then a focus pull from the deep focus on the background to the shallow focus on the character as the other character moves in to the right hand third and they engage in a romantic embrace- usually a kiss. This is a shot that I have seen in a number of romance films such as Twilight and Love, Rosie and also in a range of romance TV dramas such as Wolfblood. I will use this shot in the middle of my trailer in order to clarify the development in their relationship and the current status.
Editing in the romance genre tended to appear quite slow in romantic scenes, yet in intimate or action scenes it was typically aster. In Dear, John, there is fast paced editing of when John is fighting in the army, yet when he is in the bunker reading his female's letters, there is slower paced editing to develop the mood and atmosphere as romantic and cherish able despite the characters not being physically together. I will aim to replicate this in my editing, with fast paced editing used when Flynn is running or in an agitated state, yet slow when there is calm between the couple.
Editing can also be used alongside the soundtrack and other sound editing. Often this consists of fast cuts which can be used in pace with the non-diegetic music in the background. This is an effective way to portray the emotions and atmosphere of the film depending on what action is taking place on the screen. I will use this in my film, where I am considering a few soundtracks I have yet to choose from.
Fades are commonly used to replicate the smoothness of the romantic connection between the two protagonists and how their relationship develops. This will be used a lot on my editing to transition between the montage of shots I am using to give a glimpse at the development of their relationship.
Lighting
Following the lighting workshop I made a list of everything I now know about lighting and all of the ways I could light my work.
Ambient Lighting Ideas
Morning light- symbollic of first day of something, something new, life in general
Evening light- runnign towards it- running towards something that keeps getting further away
Fairy lights- implies that there is an element of imagination and can also be used as mise-en-scene to develop the character
Lamps- indicates class due to intricacy
Torches
Candles/ matches
Laptop/ IPad/ Phone
Fog- symbollic of everything being unclear as well as being asthetically pleaseing against the varying Autumnal colours
Flashing Globe/ stars
Headlights- conventional of social realism and can be used a bokeh which is a lighting effect often associated with coldness, wintertime and distance
Morning light- symbollic of first day of something, something new, life in general
Evening light- runnign towards it- running towards something that keeps getting further away
Fairy lights- implies that there is an element of imagination and can also be used as mise-en-scene to develop the character
Lamps- indicates class due to intricacy
Torches
Candles/ matches
Laptop/ IPad/ Phone
Fog- symbollic of everything being unclear as well as being asthetically pleaseing against the varying Autumnal colours
Flashing Globe/ stars
Headlights- conventional of social realism and can be used a bokeh which is a lighting effect often associated with coldness, wintertime and distance
Artificial Lighting Ideas
Light boxes to create the chiaroscuro effect (I may use my IPad to give a light box effect by having it on a white background, giving me a lot of portability and access to intensity adjustment)
Camera attachable ligthing to light the dark bedroom scenes
Light boxes to create the chiaroscuro effect (I may use my IPad to give a light box effect by having it on a white background, giving me a lot of portability and access to intensity adjustment)
Camera attachable ligthing to light the dark bedroom scenes