The priliminary Task

A task was given to us after we have learnt all the camera movements, angles/ shots, and some of the editing techniques. The task involved the preliminary exercise which we have to complete as it is getting marks. The task had to involve filming and editing a character opening a door, crossing a room and sitting down in a chair opposite another character, with which she would have a dialogue. It should also involve the match on action, shot/reverse/shot, and the 180-degree rule.

We started this task by choosing the groups ourselves and giving it a name. My group is has 4 girls within in despite the fact that I would've wanted to work with some guys as well. The name chosen by us for the group is "The Bandana Sisters" as one thing which we have in common was the bandanas. We were then asked to create a blog page and start planning the preliminary task. There were lots of times when the girls from my group weren’t in so I had to start without them so we don’t fall behind from the first day.

We also learnt about some Camera Movements to help us with the making of the films we are set to do for our A Levels. Some of them will be:

• Pan- the camera is fixed to a tripod and it is rotated horizontally. This give the audience the impression that the character is scanning across the landscape.

• Tilt- the same as the above, the camera is set to a tripod, however it is rotated vertically.

• Tracking Shot- where the hole camera is mounted on a wheel base, so it can follow the movement of the subject in a continuous, smooth movement.

• Dolly- this is the wheel platform on which the tripod is put on for a tracking shot.

• Crane- this allows the entire camera to move in any direction up, down or sideways. The camera can also tilt and pan as it moves. And it can also go over a building.

• Hand Held- the camera is held by an operator. Inevitably the camera shakes and pitches with the motion of the operator, but this can give the scene of drama the feeling of involvement in the action. it can be used to mimic documentary or news style and film-making. It reminds the viewer that we are watching a film.

• Stead cam-this is a system of harness and counterbalance weights that allow a camera to be held by an operator but not shaking it like a handheld would do. The weights and balances mean that the small vibrations and movements by the operator are not transferred to the camera itself.

• Zoom- it is not really a camera movement as it is the change of the lens that makes it appears to the viewer that we are not moving closer to the subject. In facts the subject is being steadily magnified.

• Crash Zoom- is a technique of the digital editing to speed up a so that is extremely fast and we feel like we are whizzing towards the subject. WE stop very suddenly when the director feels we are close enough.

Vladimir Yakovlevich Propp was a Soviet formalist scholar who analyzed the basic plot components of Russian folk tales to identify their simplest irreducible narrative elements. Despite clearly stating the different categories of characters found in tales, Propp did not state that these had to apply to everyone separate character; the villain could also be the father etc. using Propp's theory, when a character has been correctly identified within the story, it is always predictable to what the character will do throughout, as each character has a sphere of action. After the initial situation is depicted, any story can be broken down into 31 different functional sections that supposedly incorporated all of the plot components that a story needed. According to Propp, a cohesive story can be created by the use of these 31 functional sections.

1.     Absentation-This section usually includes a member of a family to leave the security of their home. The instant division of family/lack of security at such an early stage in the film immediately injects the storyline with tension. This particular character usually ends up being a hero/heroin of the story, and usually returns to rescue a member of their family. The hero will be shown as an ordinary person in this section but will be perceived in a different way after they overcome a courageous situation and prove everyone they are the rightful heroes.
2.      Interdiction- the hero or the main character is given an interdiction and warned against doing something. For example if there is a sign prohibiting access to a particular place, and at this point the hero has to decide to carry on his quest or not. This hero always ends up taking the dangerous route, this helps arise suspense for the viewers.
3.     Violation of Interdiction- When the hero has entered the dangerous or the prohibited place, and this is the part when the villain is introduced to the story. This usually results in misfortune and involves many obstacles for them to overcome. The actions of the villain are not always clear to the hero; because usually the villain is lurking around without the hero knowing about it. Another situation is that the villain is placed at the hero's home threatening his family.
4.      Reconnaissance- Usually, the villain tries to find valuable family possessions or even take the family members like his precious girlfriend or young children so they can get the desired information. They usually take the children because they thought to be helpless and vulnerable, as it may be the villain's thinking to get the information needed. But this also gives the hero the chance to shine as because he can save them from the evil grasp of the villain. However this action is taken by the villain to attract the hero into confrontation and result in the meeting of the two vital characters.
5.      Delivery- Villain seeks to see the hero, but already knowing why he is special. At this point of the story the villain receives some of the information wanted and usually through the innocent and frightened family member.
6.      Trickery- Often at this particular point of the story the villain and the hero have only briefly met and tricking takes place in this section. Usually includes gaining the confidence of the hero or the villain’s by using tricks. This is done to fool the hero into the villain is in actual fact a friend. At this point the villain has also taken someone who is close to the hero as a hostage and requires the hero to supply the villain with certain information.       
7.      Complicity of Hero/Victim- is taken in by the villain’s deception. Due to the false confidence that has been provided by the villain they naively helped him without knowing that the information he is obtaining from them in working against the good.
8.      Villainy or Lack- Either friend or hero or the family member desire or lack something that can be provided by the villain. Villain usually offers what is desired in exchange of some important information on the hero. An alternative to this is that usually the villain inflicts pain onto one of the characters closest to the hero. This can be from forced marriage to death.
9.      Mediation- Villainy or lack is discovered or made known to the hero.
10.      Beginning Counter Action- at this point of the story the ordinary person needs to make an important decision which will set out a course of strenuous obstacles that will define the heroism.
11.     Departure- The hero leaves his home.
12.     First Function of Donor- The donor test and interrogates and attacks the hero which allows preparation to defeat the villain.
13.     Hero’s Reaction- the hero reacts to what is being inflicted by future donor/helper; this could be done by failing tests presented to the hero or even refusal to submit entirely.
14.     Receipt of Magical Element- Hero acquired consumption of the magical element for example in Shrek when he drank the magical potion to please his girlfriend but not knowing that she is being lied to, from the godmother’s son and her father.
15.      Guidance- Hero's location changed to lead onto whereabouts of an object of the search.
16.     Struggle- The hero rebels and forms a situation that leads to a confrontation with the villain, which usually results in direct combat, when Shrek finally arrived to the palace and he fought the godmother’s son and the godmother so he could get his girlfriend back.
17.     Branding- The hero is “branded” by the villain during the combat; this is usually a serious wound that leads the audience to believe that the villain may win the battle. This helps into arise of the suspense and tension for the audience.
18.     Victory- After “branding” the hero somehow finds it within him to gather enough strength to defeat the villain and claim his rightful victory.
19.     Liquidation- The villainy or lack is resolved or overcome by the defeat of the villain and normally is replaced.
20.     Return- After the quest is over, the hero returns to his family home.
21.     Pursuit- on the way back to his home, the hero is pursued. The pursuer usually intends on killing or harming the hero.
22.     Rescue- The hero is rescued from the pursuer; this is sometime done by using obstacles to delay the pursuer or by the hero going into hiding.
23.      Unrecognised Arrival- Hero is placed in an unfamiliar place, usually in another country so he can’t be recognised.
24.     Unfounded Claims- The false hero is now introduced to the story, interpreting the original hero’s acts.
25.     Difficult Task- the hero is proposed with difficult tasks to prove that he is who he claims to be. This can be done through various riddles and tests.
26.     Solution- The tasks and riddles proposed to the hero is successfully overcome and his identity is reclaimed.
27.     Recognition- The hero is recognised, usually by the “branding” earlier done by the villain.
28.     Exposure- The false hero is exposed by the real hero.
29.     Transfiguration- The hero is given a new appearance; this is usually done by the use of new costume resulting from his courageous act.
30.     Punishment-Villain and the False Hero are punished. This is usually done by imprisonment or banishment.
31.     Wedding- Hero marries and is rewarded for completing the torturous quest and overcoming the villain and other evil characters.  

About Vladimir Propp theory

By analysing types of character and kinds of actions, Propp was able to arrive at the conclusion that there were 31 generic narratives in the Russian Folk tale. While not all are presented, he found that the tales he analysed displayed the function in unvarying sequence. Vladimir Propp suggested that characters took on the role of narrative sphere of action and function. He came up with seven different characters types:

1. The Hero – usually male, is the agent who restores the narrative equilibrium after by embarking on a quest. The hero is invariable the tests central character for example: in Romeo and Juliet, the hero in the tragic story in Romeo as he restores the equilibrium in the end and destroys it in the beginning.
2.   The Villain- who usually creates the narrative disruption. The villain in the story of Romeo and Juliet id Tybalt, Juliet’s cousin, as he tries to get between the hero and the princess
3. The Donor- gives the hero something; it may be an object, information or advice, which helps in resolution of the narrative. 
4. The Helper- aids the hero in the task of restoring equilibrium. Here the helpers are the priest who helps both Romeo and Juliet. 
5. The Princess- is usually the character most threatened by the villain and has to be saved, at the climax by the hero. The princess in this story is Juliet as she is saved by hero Romeo and threatened by her cousin and family 
6. The Dispatches- sends the hero on a task to proceed (who can typically be the princess father). Juliet has a father but doesn’t hike Romeo and he doesn’t want him to see Juliet and even enter his house
7.  The False Hero- appears to be good but is revealed, at the narrative’s end, to have been bad.

For our scene from the Legally Blond 2 we had a script as so we know what to follow and say during the filming. These lines create the Snap Cap scene from the film because the task asked us only to reproduce our favorite film scene form a film. We chose Legally Blond because we all liked the film and some the people were perfect for the characters, for example me for the character of Elle Woods because of the appearance and attitude. This is the script which we used:

Script:

Victoria Rudd: Welcome to Washington.

Elle Woods: Thank you!, Okey-dokey. I missed the part about where my office is.

Victoria Rudd: The desk. Right here.

Elle Woods: All righty. Then I'm going to need a glue gun... some pinking shears, and five yards of grosgrain ribbon. Yeah, that'll do it.

Grace Rossiter: Well, look at you. You can run your wedding coordinator business... during all that legislative downtime.

Elle Woods: Don't be silly, Grace. This is to plan my own wedding to Emmett. See, this is us. He had this made for me. That's him, and that's me smiling. Maybe he'll make one of you and me.

Grace Rossiter: You'll be talking and I'll be throwing up. Speaking of nuptials, wait till I tell... the congresswoman that I was invited... to John McCain's nephew's wedding. He's really quite a sweet kid. Tell me something, Timothy... is it difficult for you to breathe with... your mouth flat against your employer's butt?

Timothy: I don't know, Grace. Is it difficult to see with your head in the Minority Whip's lap?

Grace: It was the distinguished gentlemen from lowa. His wife had recently left him and we just talked.

Timothy: Right. Because if you did "visit" his district... you should've gotten some legislation out of it.

Grace: How would you even know... when you're busy chasing interns on a skateboard?

Elle: Excuse me? Who wants to talk animal testing?

Timothy: Write a bill, Britney. I don't have a car!

Elle: Snap Cup time (Singing):

Gather ye round

Friends and foes together

United and bound

Pass it to your neighbor

Instead of blowing up

And we'll find harmony and love

In the Snap Cup!

Elle: Don't tell me you don't know what a Snap Cup is? OK, I'll explain it. You are going to write down an anonymous praise note... on a little warm fuzzy.

Timothy: Warm fuzzy?

Elle: Yes. Compliments about your co-workers.

Just something nice. Then you deposit them in the sacred vessel. The Snap Cup is essential to any bipartisan environment. Consider 1998 Spring Carnival. The Delta Nus partnered with the Kappa Kappa Gammas...(Handing out paper) On Project Kissing Booth. Big problems. Go ahead, write. So, a whole heated debate transpired... Over the whole tongue-no tongue policy. I think you know what side the Kappas were on. Anyway, it really helped us move past the conflict...And I think it can help us today. Let's just try this, OK?

EVERYONE STARTS HANDING IN THE PAPERS

Elle:Thank you, Reena. Thank you. Thanks for that. Thank you, Timothy. So now, the Snap Cup mistress--me--recites. Good, I got mine. "Grace always has the confidence to speak her mind. "Plus, she looks terrific in charcoal." And, voil? Snaps for Grace! You see? Our first Snap Cup! This is so exciting! I wonder what'll happen next? All right, this is... "What do Elle Woods and the Snap Cup have in common?" A riddle. That's so cool. I love riddles."They're both..." "Stupid."

End of Scene