BLK: Homework Film Stills + Evaluation

My Group experimented with film stills from a wide range of different genres (as you can see above) from horrow to romance, and we used costumes, props, lighting, models and framing to fit each of our different chosen genres.

The Shot
This shot is a high angle MCU of a man being pushed against a brick wall by someone who has grabbed him by his shirt.

In this shot we were trying to recreate a scene which could take place in an action film, and we used the actors clothing (which was dark) to fit with conventions, especailly as the main actor is wearing a hoodie, which characters often wear in action films. The characters postures also fit the genre, as this sort of scene frequently takes place in action films, and the man's hands are shown to be clenched, connoting anger and strength, whilst the main actor is cornered and looks powerless. The location also conforms to conventions, as action films usually take place in various urban locations, and the brick wall could connote that the scene is taking place in an alleyway, or another similarly secluded and dangerous setting. The shot also potrays themes of voilence and fear through the actor's postitions, whish are common themes in action films. Also the main actor is a man, and looks like he could be an informant or a villian, both of which are archetypal characters of the genre,

What We Did

It was quite a sunny day, so we took the shot in an area of shade, which also hepled to form a slight shadow on the actors face. By holding the camera above the actors head we managed to created a HA shot.

What Was Successful

I think that the colours in this shot work well together and connote action and danger, and the actor looks scared but unfazed, which could present him as either a villainous character (also suggested by his dark clothes), but the high angle of the shot connotes that he is a victim. I think that the close up was successful as it shows the actors emotions clearly, helping the audience to connect and identify with the character. Also, I think that the shot raises questions about the character and the narrative, such as 'Who is he?'.

What I Would Do Differently

If I could repeat the shoot, I would perhaps replace the actors clothing with something that strongly signals what role the actor is playing in the film, and use low key lighting to make the shot darker and moodier to fit into genre conventions more, as we shot outside and it was quite sunny. I would also try to remove some of the empty space in the shot, particurlarly the area above the subject's head by using tighter framing.