MICRODRAMA: FINISHED FILM + REFLECTION

LADS ON TOUR MICRODRAMA.

I think for a first attempt at a slasher genre microdrama we did well to say we had no knowledge of how to make slasher microdramas. However, we've learnt from this and have taken what we did well and what we could have done to improve into consideration for our next task.





Establishing shot, no narrative enigma.



For example in our opening scene we revealed the characters straight away instead of using the idea of narrative enigma where we could have revealed the characters later on in the microdrama, but we did however use an extreme long shot to establish the setting of the place which is used in most films so in this sense our opening scene was done well.



Panning shot.

 Also when the characters were revealed for the second time we could of used a variety of shots with one of them being a high angled shot to show the vulnerability of these character and how powerless they are to their fate that's ahead of them, but it's used well as a panning shot as we used a tripod to track the characters to keep them in the centre of the frame.



 



Over the shoulder shot.



Although this over the shoulder shot is good as it adds to the variety of shots, we could have thought about what should have been playing on the TV , for example using intertextual references like in Halloween the 1950s flick The Thing plays on the TV while Laurie Strode babysits - another 'thing' lurks outside.



High angled shot.



This high angled shot is good as it adds to the variety and gives the sense that someones in the building and also shows how vulnerable the characters are.

Also to make this scene more creative and give a more variety of shot type this scene would work better if the camera was inside the fridge and the door opened, and this is also a long take so it would break the long takes up if there was a variety of shots instead to make it more interesting.

Here instead on being 1 shot there could of been a match on action shot as the character goes to put the kettle on , then also after he realises it's already on to show his reaction and emotion a close up shot should of been used so the audience senses he's reaction.

This scene is where we included the false scare and we get a great effect from natural lighting and the framing is very effective too. however, a dutch angle might have further accentuated the signification of threat though.

This scene unfolded with a single long take. The framing is initially effective, but when George enters his head is cropped off so it needs to be re framed, and in any case we need shot variation to sustain audience interest, applying the 180 degree rule as we do. Also, the Declan character was meant to be isolated in this scene - so he should be framed separate and alone, with 3-shots for the others signifying their togetherness and Declan as 'the other' (the outsider).

 

This is the scene where the character George meets his death , but the lighting in the first scene could have been done better as the camera light was on .But the natural light when George opens the door was used to a good effect. Also it was a long take and in a violent scene it would be better to do short takes and keep it fast so the audience are on edge and so the more convincing the scene is, and so the preferred reading of seriousness was lost and the oppositional ready of comedy came in.

Also the angles in this final scene were important as we should of created a claustrophobic feel, as the more space there is (ELS-MLS) the more sense the victim will/can get away.

So overall i feel for our first attempt it wasn't too bad , but we could of included a more shot variety and demonstrated a range of cinematography.