Unit 10 - Fiction Film

Codes:

Mise-En-Scene: All the elements usually seen in a scene minus cinematography, editing and sound. Everything you can see in the scene.

Cinematography: Camera shots, angles and movement.

Sound: Ambience, diegetic, non-diegetic, synchronous, asynchronous, sound bridging, aural signifier, volume, tempo and pitch.

Editing: Montage, trailer, linear, nonlinear, title sequence, matching action, ellipses and continuous editing.

Symbolism: An extension of Mise En Scene, symbolism in films is generally seen in costumes, body language, and the setting the film takes place in.

Lighting: To create a good atmosphere, lighting is key. If you're doing a darker sort of film, with an evil plot or a sacrifice or something of a similar manner, you wouldn't want lighting that belongs in a carnival. Shadowy scenes give an underlying darker tone, brighter areas are generally used in less tense situations.

Conventions:

Specific to each genre, conventions are things that are recurring in the same genres, for example action films do contain explosions, gun fights, fist fights, sword fights, and so on. Say, a science fiction film, conventions would be robots, AI, time travel, space travel, lasers and the like.

(Eye Level Shots = Dull)

Films Selected: The Fifth Element, Labyrinth

The Fifth Element, a sci-fi film set largely in 2263, revolves around ex special forces major now cab driver Korben Dallas and Leeloo, the human form of The Fifth Element, trying to gather stones representing the other four elements to stop the great evil from destroying Earth. The film actually first begins in 1914, when aliens called Mondoshawans arrive to take the stones and the original form of The Fifth Element, whose hand would go on to reconstruct Leeloo, for safekeeping regarding World War One, promising to return them when the great evil attacks once again. When the great evil returns, the Mondoshawans are intercepted by Mangalores, hired by an evil industrialist hired named Zorg, to get ahold of the stones. The Mondoshawans ship is destroyed, and although the stones aren't on board the hand of The Fifth Element is, so scientists take it to a New York City Laboratory and then proceed to use it to reconstruct Leeloo, who escapes and jumps off a high ledge, crashing into Dallas' taxi cab.

Labyrinth, on the other hand, a fantasy film, starts with the main character, 15-year-old Sarah Williams rehearsing a play and getting annoyed when she cannot remember one of the final lines. She is forced to babysit her baby brother Toby, while her father and step-mother go out to dinner. In a fit of anger when she realises Toby has her teddy, Lancelot, she wishes for the goblin king Jareth to take Toby away to his castle in the centre of the Labyrinth, a vast and intricate ever-changing maze filled with dangerous creatures, riddles and misdirection. Surprised when Jareth actually appears, she asks for Toby back but he refuses, instead giving her 13 hours in which to solve the Labyrinth before her baby brother became one of them, forever. Determined to save her brother from being turned into a goblin, she enters the Labyrinth, forming unlikely friendships with a lot of the creatures there, in an attempt to solve the maze and save her brother.

Both of the films are incredibly different, but do possess similar traits, such as the bizarre clothing worn by the characters, and the intricacy of which the settings were designed with. They both also have an outlandish plot, a fifteen year old saving her stepbrother from singing goblins, and a taxi driver pairing up with a superhuman female to stop an evil ball of fire.

 There is a wide variety of special effects in both films as well, with Labyrinth more focused on puppets and The Fifth Element using more CGI and models for their effects.

Bad Boys II

Bad Boys 2 focuses on two policemen who are partners and have been working together their entire life. The same people as the first Bad Boys, this time it focuses on bringing down the biggest Cuban drug leader smuggling  into america. At the same time however, one of these two's sister is working the same case for the DEA, and is in a relationship with the other partner. This makes things very awkward, alongside the fact that Marcus (partner with the sister) is choosing to leave the force, meaning Mike (partner dating Marcus' sister) is threatened with the prospect of having a new partner rather than running with a man he's known all of his life. 

Blue Streak

Blue Streak, on the other hand, is about a jewel thief named Miles Logan. Played by the same actor who played Marcus in Bad Boys 2, Miles has successfully broken into and stolen from an incredibly well protected vault, taking a diamond worth $17 Million USD. But things go sour when one of the members of his crew decides he's two greedy to split the cut of the diamond between himself and the other members of the crew. Killing one of the other members of the crew but failing to get the diamond from Miles, he runs from the police. Meanwhile Miles is hiding out in a construction site, crawling through the recently installed ventilation three stories up. He hides the diamond in the vents and proceeds to try and escape, getting caught and arrested soon after. Two years on he is permitted to leave the prison, and goes to try and find his treasure. Unfortunately, the construction site is now a Police Station, but that doesn't stop Miles. He decides to disguise himself as a new transfer detective for the robbery division, in a daring bid to get his hands on the diamond.

Both are action comedy films containing hilarious scenes and action packed gun fights, most notably a large plot parallel of a drug bust close to the end of the film, and the car chase that ensues afterwards.

However, both do not share the same theme. While one of them focuses on partners going on one last run together to end their partnership with a bang and save an important person in both of their lives, the other focuses on a devious jewel thief trying to reclaim what he has rightfully stolen from right under the noses of clueless cops.

The plot for my film does have the relation of an action comedy involving the police. It also uses the idea of partnership like in Bad Boys II, but these guys aren't veterans, they are actually a bit inept. It goes with two rookie cops investigating a house looking for a serial killer, whose likeness was last seen entering a normal house, leading the police to investigate. Unfortunately, the police had no veteran units available, because they were all out handling two high risk situations, a hostage situation and a drugs bust, that just happened to coincide, whether by coincidence or not we shall never know. This leads the police to send out the only two units they had left at their disposal, two new kids who had big dreams of becoming detectives. Excited by their first case, and the importance of it, the two head out immediately, leaving behind any signs of them being police, like the pair of numbskulls they are. Little did they know the man who let them into the house was actually the perp they had been sent to find, even though there were plenty of clues giving it away. It all leads to the criminal eventually being revealed, and the rookies attempting to nab him. However, the rookies lost him, and it was later shown that all the killer did was hide behind a car, just proving that the rookies didn't think, and were too hyped on adrenaline to actually perform a proper search let alone call for any back up, if there was any available.

My film is about a pair of rookie cops investigating a house where a convicted serial killer was last sighted. The question is whether or not they can survive long enough to identify and arrest the perp they're after...

The popplet below gives a brief outline to the films script and plot, alongside any camera shots I used in the film.

Every film has a narrative structure, and the majority of them follow a very similar one. It starts with the entire beginning of the film as a large build up towards the climax of the film. After the climax is the falling action, where the characters get over the climax. Once that is over the denouement happens, which is the ending of the film, usually giving the audience an idea of the fate of the characters after the film.

One of the props in my film is a knife, so we will be taking the appropriate risks and handling it carefully, and only when it is needed. Luckily, it is not being held by any of the characters, so it should hopefully present a minimal risk to everybody present. Any other hazard is just conventional, for example tripping and falling etc.

For the Record: I DID NOT WRITE THIS ASSESSMENT. My other group member did.

Filming

RISK ASSESSMENT RECORD

Risk matrix – use this to determine risk for each hazard i.e. ‘how bad and how likely’ Likelihood of Harm

Severity of Harm Remote

e.g. <1 in 1000 chance Very unlikely

e.g. 1 in 200 chance Unlikely

e.g. 1 in 50 chance Possible 

e.g. 1 in 10 chance Likely

e.g. >1 in 3 chance

Negligible  e.g. small bruise Trivial Trivial Trivial Low Low

Slight  e.g. small cut, deep bruise Trivial Trivial Low Low Medium

Moderate  e.g. deep cut, torn muscle Trivial Low Medium Medium High

Severe  e.g. fracture, loss of consciousness Low Medium High High Extremely high

Very Severe e.g. death, permanent disability Low Medium High Extremely high Extremely high

Risk Assessment Form – Part B

Activity 1 – Please give a brief outline of the filming activities:  

Hazards 2

List what could cause harm from this activity 

e.g. falls from height, trip hazard, fire, etc. Who exposed

List who might be harmed from this activity

e.g. Employees,  students, contractors,  public,  etc. Control measures

For each hazard, list the measures you will be taking to minimise the risk identified

e.g. appointing competent persons, training received, planning, use of personal protective equipment, provision of first aid, briefing students etc. Risk 3

For each hazard, decide level of risk once all your controls are in place What further action is necessary? Action by who? Action by when? Date completed

1 Access/egress – blocked/restricted Students - Employees All walkways are to be kept clear and free from tripping and blocking hazards

On set cables to be kept covered with either mats or taped down wherever necessary Low

2 Food & drink supplies Students No alcohol allowed on set at any times, any crew or cast suspected of intoxication will be removed from set.  All food and drink will be supplied by either Phalanx Control caterers or will be brought in from professional suppliers.

Any spillages will be cleaned up immediately Low

4 Any special prop under direct control of artistes Students Adequate rehearsal and instruction required

All cast and crew to be aware of the action Low

7 Confined space Students Monitor them at all times in the place and get out asap Medium

10 Explosive/pyrotechnics/ fireworks Students - Crew Burn or major injury to anyone, prevent by putting safety regulations in place. Medium

11 Electricity/ lighting feeds/ practical’s/ generators/ cables near water Everyone Ensure water and electric do not mix. Medium

12 Fatigue/ long hours/ physical exertion/ adrenaline flow/ stress/ early starts Students All cast and crew will be given the appropriate breaks throughout the day.  All crew and artistes when working or performing will be asked not to exert themselves so as to cause illness or injury.

Any artistes required to do any additional performance e.g. running or riding a bicycle etc. will be checked prior to filming if they are fit for purpose and will be given adequate rehearsal time prior to filming Low

13 Fire prevention/ evacuation procedures/casualty evacuation Students Low

14 First Aid / medical Requirements Specialist rescue Students Low

15 Flammable materials Students Keep all naked flames away from these materials and no smoking will be promoted Low

17 General public – arrangements for safety Students - Public It is the responsibility of the students to be aware at all times of the environment and public presence.  Due care and attention will be taken with regard cables, lighting and camera equipment and any other trip hazards that may cause an obstruction or obstacle to any member of the public.  All trailing cables should be matted or taped or ramped where necessary.  Local police and council have been notified.

High visibility jackets will be worn by crew when filming near roads and public highways. Low

19 Heat / cold / extreme weather Students Weather conditions could get worse at any time. If weather becomes too bad will need to retreat back to the nearest home of crew or student. Medium

26 Night operations (filming/ camping) Students - Crew Could result in getting hurt if can see what the crew or public are doing. Low

27 Noise/high sound levels Students – Crew - Public Ensure the all know when loud sounds are coming. Low

31 Scenic / set materials – not fire retardant/ toxicity tested/ glass/ polystyrene Students - Crew Risk of cut or injury to anyone in the and fire risk. Low

32 Special effects: rain/ snow/ fire/ physical/ smoke/ steam/ dry ice/ heat Student's - Crew Ensure that asthmatic people are in access of their inhalers at all times. Do not put too much smoke in one room. Medium

33 Stunts/ dangerous activities Students – Crew - Public Could do something wrong causing injury or hospitalization of anyone do correctly as taught by instructor Medium

35 Vehicles/ motorcycles/ speed Student's - Crew Could get hit by a vehicle and could cause injury or de4ath to anyone. Watch out for vehicles at all time. Low

36 Water/ close to water/ tanks/ aqua parks/ canals Students - Crew Watch as could fall in and get trapped causing drowning, stay away from water way as much as possible Low

37 Weapons/ knives/firearms Students - Crew Use in a safe and correct manner as shown also checking the background and mental stability of the person or students handing. Medium

38 Work at height: ladders/ tower/ ropes/ climbing equipment Crew – Students Risk of fall off the ladder and injury to back neck, or risk of falling off and death as stairs are next to ladder and loft access hatch. Medium

39 Mud as area could be muddy Students - Crew Watch as slipping hazard could occur and result in spinal or neck problems. Watch what you are doing and be careful in mud. HIGH

40 Trip hazard running Student's - Crew Watch ground and keep an eye out on when are where you are running or walking. to minimize the risk of falling and suffering with neck or back injuries. HIGH