Computer Conversation 2

Something's Gotta Give

The computer conversation in "Something's Gotta Give" shows lots of good techniques like zooming in to the line as it's being typed, and cuts between expression and screen in a realistic way. We could easily try all this.

Conversations

Something I've noticed in watching film clips, and TV clips, is that when a conversation is happening, the camera isn't constantly on the person who is talking, it is also on the other person to see their reactions, while the first person is still talking. I think we should do this with ours because it makes it look more natural, and will show off our continuity skills.

Here is a film clip showing a conversation, which we can adapt by using cross-cutting, (shown in the film clip of "The Holiday" which is earlier on in our blog.)

The Computer Conversation

The Holiday

This is the whole near-10 minutes of the first bit of The Holiday, but it was the only clip I could find of the computer scene in it, so watch from 8:00 - onwards.

This is exactly what we want to create in our opening sequence - two people in entirely different places having a conversation, muttering some lines, typing others. The techniques used to let the audience know what's being said are:

• Speaking of what they are saying AS they type it
• Muttering their replies AS they read it
• Close-up onscreen of the text appearing AS it is being typed
• Close-up of keys being pressed
• Close-up of lips/faces AS words are muttered

It would be good if we could use a combination of all these techniques to show the conversation in our sequence, and not just the same one over and over, to show variety. We will film the whole thing from the different perspectives and then intergrate them using the different "techniques".

Suicide Films

We've decided to further our research about the use of suicide in film, and have chosen these three films to look at. Because we are focusing on this sensitive issue, we want to handle it delicately by getting as many facts as we can rather that making it up for our sequence, and so we're looking at how other films have handled it.


1) The Virgin Suicides
Based on the novel by Jeffrey Eugenides, the film tells of the suicides of the five Lisbon sisters in an upper middle class suburb of Detroit during the 1970s. The girls’ suicides fascinate their community as their neighbours struggle to find an explanation for the acts.

The Trailer

We thought the trailer handled the issue of suicide from a realistic point of view ("Clearly you've never been a 13 year old girl, doctor") and the music fitted the teenage setting. The titles were also hand-written and girly, as if jotted down in a diary, which relates to our theme of teenage depression. Overall the trailer successfully shows the audience what the film has to offer and its main subject, and if we were promoting our whole film, we'd go about it in a similar way.

2) The Happening

In Central Park, New York City, people inexplicably begin committing mass suicide. First they become disoriented and motionless, before resorting to the most convenient means of killing themselves. Initially believed to be a bioterrorist attack, the pandemic quickly spreads across the northeastern United States.

The Trailer

This trailer is very tense and uses a lot of blackouts and fades. This makes it seem epic and it matches with the music. There are a lot of establishing scenic pans, implying that it is a big issue. This is contrasted with close-ups of horrified faces, which gives the audience a feeling of helplessness. The trailer doesn't really explain what the story is, which on the one hand is intriguing, but on the other hand is a bit anoying as you have no idea what's going on. Mass death, but not necessarily suicide is shown in the trailer, which leaves the plot open-ended and you are left wondering what's "happening".

3) Heathers

Heathers is a 1989 black comedy film starring Winona Ryder, Christian Slater, and Shannen Doherty. The film portrays four girls in a trend-setting clique at a suburban Midwestern high school. The girls—three of whom are named "Heather"—rule the school through intimidation, contempt, and sex appeal. JD makes Veronica murder people, when she is just trying to get revenge by pranking them. To cover up her murder of one girl, they forge a suicide note, (which is how it relates to our film). They also shoot two guys in the woods, who are naked (with the promise of Veronica fulfilling a dirty rumour about herself), and JD and Veronica put gay porn magazines next to them and a forged suicide note saying the lovers had a suicide pact. These are the only elements that are similar to our film.

The Trailer

This trailer is really strange, which fits the genre as it is a black comedy. It uses a big voice over which is similar to other teen movies, however the actual subject matter is quite dark. I don't think it is a very good trailer, but I put it up there because it is roughly about the same things as our film.

Inspiring Movie Opening

Se7en: Opening Credits

We love the montagey, fast-paced, enigma creepiness of Se7en's opening sequence - is it the murderer or a victim or a detective? You see a hint of information, but not enough to make out a clear character. The titles are also brilliant, hand written on black screens as well as over the action. This technique of mixing the two really appeals to me, as opposed to having black screens the whole time for titles (or vice versa). Also the music in this sequence is so suggestive - it sounds like technology breaking down, computers hissing, dripping water, an electro beat, all mixed together to make an eery soundtrack that compliments the on-screen action perfectly. I think the music is very important - not only the type of music but when it comes in, when it's loud or soft, or when the base is clear/in the background. More than anything this clip inspires inspires you to find great music!