Setting up a camera and tripod

It is important to properly set up the tripod to ensure accurate shooting and the sharpest images possible. First, extend the legs of the tripod away from the centre support so that the tripod evenly rests on all three legs on a flat surface, such as a table. To get the best shot, be sure to position the tripod at the recommended distance for taking pictures. Next, extend the adjustable legs to the desired height by loosening the clamps along the length of each leg and pulling them out to the correct length. Check to make sure that all of the legs are at the same length and it's even. Then tighten the clamps so that the legs stay secure and stable. Attach the base of the camera head to the tripod. To do this, screw the post, which is located in the centre of the head, into the hole base at the bottom of the camera. The tripod usually has a moveable base, so you can attach this to the camera and then attach the camera to the tripod. Adjust the tripod head to the desired angle using the pivoting handle attached. Make sure that it is balanced properly - by checking the spirit level and getting the bubble in the middle to prevent the camera and the tripod from falling forward.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/x5QW-lawpVo

Preliminary Activity Movie Trailer

https://youtu.be/7PRU85fUQms

Preliminary Activity

                                                   












Institution Name:
The institution name is Western Productions as we are doing a western shootout for our preliminary activity. I have created the logo for Western Productions using Fireworks and images and text from the internet that relate to and represent cowboys, western shootouts and the wild west. I researched cowboys and the kind of props needed to film out clip so in the logo, I used a navy blue star and I got an image of the pistols crossing over as they are the most common/western prop. I also got a black and white image of a cowboy with a neck scarf and then coloured it in using the tools on Fireworks. I used red for the neck scarf as this suggests danger and cowboys are often associated with danger, hence the guns used to shoot the other characters. I also made sure I got an image that had a cowboy hat on and coloured that in brown using the tools on Fireworks to make it look like a traditional cowboy. I used a light blue font, keeping in with the theme of the logo and I used a Western style font from dafont.com.

Genre:
Western Gunfight (a gunfight scene between two characters in the West, with the classic Western music playing in the background).

Narrative Outline:
2 men are sitting at the table playing poker/cards and drinking whisky. There is a lot of tension building up between the two characters as they are playing an intense game of poker with all the winnings (stacks of poker chips) in the centre of the table. The winner then lays his cards down on the table and is accused of cheating by the loser, so he gets angry and pushes the table away from him, knocking the the loser to the floor. The loser is then shot for accusing the winner of cheating, the winner takes the chips and walks away. The tension and accusations of cheating leads to the western gunfight when the two character essentially battle it out for the poker winnings stacked on the table.

Shot List:
Establishing shot - a shot of the park/where the scene is being filmed to establish the setting for the audience.
Long shot - showing the character from head to toe as he walks away from the scene
Medium shot - when the two characters are at the table playing cards
Close-up - of the guns and the poker game on the table
Extreme close-up - the characters eyes, hats and lips as they're playing the game, building up the tension between them
Low angle shot - the victim who has been pushed to the ground looking up at the man that pushed the table
High angle shot - the man who has pushed the table looking down at the victim suggesting he is in a position of authority over this man
Medium close-up - the facial expressions of the two men and the clothes they are wearing
Tracking shot - as the man who has just shot the victim walks away
Over the shoulder shot - as they are playing cards
Point of view - the victim looking down and holding his chest after he has been shot

Soundtrack:
Western gunfight music

Mise-en-scene: 
Both characters dressed as cowboys with checked shirts, long coats, cowboy hats, guns, bandanna around their neck, blue jeans with their shirt tucked in and a belt with a buckle that stands out. The two characters in the western gunfight scene are dressed as traditional cowboys. They are wearing checked shirts tucked into their jeans and most cowboys wear long coats. They will also have classic style cowboy hats on to match their outfits. The characters in the gunfight scene will also be wearing a red bandanna around their neck, just like the character in the Western Productions logo. Attached to their jeans, or in the pockets of their jeans, the two cowboy characters will have a gun each alluding to the Western shootout. Also on the jeans will be a belt with a buckle that stands out when they have their shirt tucked in.

Script/Dialogue:
(a conversation between the two cowboy characters as they are sitting at the table playing poker)
Loser: it's your turn
(the winner lays his cards on the table - a winning set - and pulls the poker chips towards him, winning the game)
(the loser leans in closer towards the winner, pulls his gun out of his pocket and points across the table to the other man)
Loser: you cheated! Didn't you?
(the winner gets angry as he has just been accused of cheating)
Winner: No I never!
(winner pushes the table away from him in anger, which pushes the loser to the floor - high and low angle shots)
(the winner looks down at the loser (the victim) shoots him and then walks away)

Storyboard:
Below is a list of shot types and pictures. These show the kind of shots we want to use in our Western shoot out, how and when we are going to use them during the clip. Also on the storyboard, is a brief description of the shot type and the duration of that particular shot - so how long it is going to last and be on the screen for. Our preliminary activity is to create a clip that lasts 60 seconds long. With all of the shots included, we have estimated that ours will be 58 seconds long so when it comes to filming we may adjust the duration of particular shots to make it closer to 60 seconds long. We can do this by either adding another shot(s) to make up time or by making one particular shot longer/shorter than it needs to be and taking or adding this time on so it is 1 minute long, fitting with the brief of our preliminary activity.

Conventions of Movie Trailers

Having completed some basic research of movie trailers, the conventions are listed below;
- the title of the film is stated clearly
- a voice over
- reviews/ratings of the film
- a music score/soundtrack (non-diegetic sound)
- conversations between the characters (diegetic sound)
- institutional information and film production logos
- the age certification of the film
- fast pace editing (short takes, cutting between scenes)
- inter-titles which give a bit of the narrative of the film
- the release date of the film
- an introduction to the characters/actors/actresses within the film
- usually establishes the genre of the film
- the basic plot of the film to give a tease of the film - they don't want to give away too much information as they want you to go out and watch the film
- a variety of camera shots and mise-en-scene
- social media links such as the Facebook Logo to let the audience know that they can find the film on Facebook and other social media. The trailer may also have a # such as #CONJURING which again lets the audience know that they can find the film on Twitter.