TW- Technical Analysis and Storyboard ideas

Technical Analysis- Signs (2002)

What I have taken from this piece of research

• Still 1 on the storyboard is an image taken from the tracking shot used in this sequence, this was very effective as a way of revealing things and is very simple to do. Perhaps I should incorporate this into our final piece as it makes it look a lot more professional and can be done with a range of things, for example characters and props.
• Still 2 showed me that camera positioning can be very important in revealing a characters movements and choices, using a low angle can connote authority in characters and help give them prevalence, this is also very easy to set up and would therefore be an idea to add to our project.
• Still 3 from the storyboard shows just how compelling reflections can be in film, they give a presence of another character within, this type of shot is conventional of horror as it combines an iconic horror prop with feelings of characters that have an impact on the audience. This shot would take no longer than a minute to set up and shoot and would allow the audience of our final piece to identify the genre of the project.
• Still 4 shows how character blocking can be very important in revealing a character and leaving mystery, creating enigma as we can often not see the character fully and therefore do not know their intentions. I should consider ways of using character blocking effectively in a shot.
• Still 5 I believe was one of the most effective shots in the sequence, even though it was just half a second long. The canted angle of the shot already gives the audience a sense of uncomfort and is a very iconic choice of shot in horror, emphasising a sense of disorientation and often fear onto the viewer.
• Still 6, although difficult to notice in the photo, showed me how the use of lighting can really impact a sense of fear in many horror shots. In this shot the use of lighting established a moving shadow underneath the door, this immediately strikes audiences as scary as many people have a fear of the unknown, I believe this would be very easy to use in our final piece and would have such an immense impact on the audience if it is done right. The shot needs no character or props to be scary, just a clever use of lighting.

DURATION OF SHOT	CAMERA DISTANCE ANGLE AND SHOT	MISE-EN-SCENE	SOUND
9 seconds	Low angled still, medium long shot	An internal kitchen with chairs scattered on the floor, a character comes into shot and begins to move towards the camera. Character is dressed in casual clothing, facial expression is unknown.	Very low volume, slight presence of a slow violin fade out, diegetic sound of the character moving closer into frame.
6 seconds	POV medium shot, moving closer towards closed door. A very slight tilt downwards.	A table is revealed blocking a doorway, the room is lit externally, and as we get closer to this doorway a shadow can be seen moving through a crack in the bottom of the door.	Extra-diegetic sound is added for footsteps, this begins to immerse the audience into thinking this is reality.
7 seconds	Return to position as in first shot, low angled, medium shot pans upwards to reveal the character.	The character is becoming closer to the camera, therefore closer to the doorway- we see his facial expression is uneasy and slightly scared, giving the audience a similar feeling.	Now diegetic footstep sound continues.
6 seconds	High angled POV shot gets to medium close up of the crack under the door and stops.	This shadow of something moving behind the door is more focused now, building tension as we get closer to the unknown behind the door.	Extra-diegetic footstep sound continues.
3 seconds	Low angled, medium close up still.	We see the reaction of the character as uncertain and nervous	Diegetic dialogue “Hello?” adds suspense, unknown identity triggers horror iconography.
3 seconds	Return to high angled, medium close up, still shot.	The shadow slows and stops, again adding to suspense as so much is unknown.	Very slight extra-diegetic sound of a footstep and then nothing, creating enigma.
28 seconds	Low angled, medium close up still as before.	Character begins talking, from his facial expression and non-verbal language he is picking his words wisely, it is obvious he is clear unclear about whom he is talking to.	Diegetic dialogue reveals he is lying to get the character behind the door to surrender, connoting that the character behind the door may be dangerous, slowly beginning to build enigma.
2 seconds	Return to high angled, medium close up, still shot.	No reaction of movement, everything in the frame is still.	No sound to anchor what is shown, adding to the mystery of who this character may be talking to.
22 seconds	Low angled, medium close up still as before. Camera pans downwards with the movement of the character.	Character continues talking, as if he is trying to make the situation calm, he then moves down onto his knees. His facial expression shows an increase in concern- reflecting this feeling to the audience.	Diegetic dialogue continues to reveal that the character behind the door has broken the law, putting the audience on edge as we know this character could be in danger.
9 seconds	Canted angle medium shot from floor level.	This shows the character looking underneath the crack in the door and then moving back up again, character blocking places the camera behind the door looking through to the movement and reactions of the character. This shot builds tension as the audience are placed in a position similar to this unknown, possibly dangerous character. Facial expression of the character shows no reaction, showing that he cannot see anything.	Quiet diegetic sounds of character moving to and from the floor, this shows nothing out of the ordinary- anchoring that the character cannot see anything through this gap in the door.
10 seconds	Medium close up; short tracking shot from an angle just above the eye line of the character.	Shot reveals close up out of focus chopped vegetables in the foreground with the main character in the background looking towards their direction, short tracking shot reveals a knife as the character looks towards it and grabs it. This immediately builds enigma faster as an iconic, conventional horror prop (the knife) has been introduced, further connoting danger.	Diegetic sound of the character grabbing the knife, making a sharp scraping sound as he takes the knife from the kitchen top.
2 seconds	Low angled, medium close up still as before.	Continuity editing shows the character taking the knife and facing towards the camera, camera positioning shows that the character is looking again towards the crack below the door.	No sound.
5 seconds	Extreme close up still. High angle above the knife blade.	The close up shows the characters reflection in the knife blade, anchoring his intentions of using it as a way of seeing what is behind the closed door.	No sound. This lack of sound creates enigma as the audience is beginning to expect something sudden and loud.
4 seconds	Low angled, medium close up still as before.	Non-verbal language shows the character moving towards the camera wielding the knife, planning to place it in the door crack.	Slight diegetic sound of character movements, continuing to build this tension as the character gets closer to whatever is behind the door.
9 seconds	Extreme close up still. High angle above the knife blade.	Knife is shown under the door crack, moving around reflecting various everyday food items in the closed room, nothing out of the ordinary.	Diegetic sounds of the knife movements as its angle is changed. This puts the audience in slight comfort as there is nothing out of the ordinary, emphasised by mise-en-scene.
30 seconds	Low angled, medium close up still as before, shot distance changes as the character moves around.	Character shows no change in facial expression, he is shown getting up, putting the knife back and beginning to leave the room and shot frame, he then suddenly turns and walks back quickly, non-verbal language suggests an increase in motivation to find out what is behind the door. He again picks up the knife and reverts to his position, practically lying on the floor to look under the door.	Diegetic sound builds verisimilitude, footsteps, the knife touching surfaces and movement can be heard. Building verisimilitude puts the audience on edge due to this long build up with only diegetic sound
0.5 seconds	Canted angle, floor line close up shot.	Very quick shot shows a mutated, four fingered hand with skin different to that of a human very suddenly emerging from the crack in the door. The hand is enhanced by pro filmic effects to recreate reality. The canted angle is sudden and different, immediately placing the audience in an uncomforting situation.	Diegetic scratching sound of the ‘alien’s’ nails scratching across the floor towards the camera. This sound is anchored by what is shown on screen, making audiences uncomfortable as this action is seen as distressing to many people, (nails on a chalkboard).
1.5 seconds	Close up, canted angle shot, slight pan up and down when the character moves on screen.	Scared reaction of the character is shown by facial expression and sudden non-verbal language. The light shines on just half of his face, leaving the other half quite dark adding a sense of jeopardy for the character.	Diegetic sound anchors what is happening on screen, such as a grunt let out from the main character adding to a sense of panic and danger for the character.
2 seconds	Close up, low angled shot from floor line.	This shows continued reaction of the character grabbing the knife and taking hold of it in a fast paced and panicky way.	Diegetic sounds of the knife scraping along the floor, adds comfort to the audience as the character has a weapon and the sound of the knife slashing through the air builds tension as we know the character has intent of using it.
0.5 seconds	Canted angle, floor line close up shot.	Shot refers back to its position when the ‘creature’s’ hand slides underneath the door, and the knife is shown slicing through the fingers of this mysterious hand.	A sudden and very loud extra-diegetic scream is let out by the creature, making the audience jump as the change in sound is so sudden and different, placing the audience back into fear.
2 seconds	Close up, low angled shot from floor line.	The main character is also shown shouting as well as the creature; this fear is well reflected onto the audience through character blocking and non-verbal language.	Diegetic sound of the main character shouting in fear, matched alongside with the extra-diegetic sound of this creature still screaming, keeping the uneasiness and fear of this effective scene continuing until the end.