Clerks

Clerks is identifiable as a low budget movie from it's few filming locations. The main setting of the movie is the stores where Dante and Randal work, and they venture off once or twice to other locations barely seen by the audience. 
It also uses little to no music by way of a score or soundtrack, which also gives it the naturalistic film that goes with the screenplay but shows it had a small budget to work with. There are also no editing techniques often used in higher budget films such as special effects or CGI. However, because of the nature of the film they wouldn't have been necessary anyway. Clerks relies very heavily on its dialogue, which works well for the settings and characters. 

Continuity Task Reflection and Analysis

         
           

For this task, we were asked to make a short film revolving around a package. One of the main challenges was keeping the continuity. It was necessary to use several different camera movement and shot types. We were also not allowed to use dialogue, so were challenged to show not tell the story.

One of the techniques we were asked to use was a match on action. A match on action is a sequence of shots showing the subject doing an action, and then the next shot matches it. Our example of this was Rhys opening the door, and the camera focusing on him pulling the door to, and the following shot was from the other side of the door as he opens it. We used this to create mystery as to who was knocking. The lighting in this scene is also darker to connote that Rhys was alone, and further the mysterious feel as to who would be visiting him.

We decided to use a close up for this shot to put emphasis on the package and that it's exchanging hands. We decided that Henry should be forceful when giving the package away, showing both that he is keen to get rid of it and Rhys' confusion at receiving it. 

Our use of an eye line match/ point of view shot here was to show that the box was in fact empty. We used it to confuse our audience, as each time Rhys opens the box he gets slapped, however he seems to be the only one. The high angle showed enough of the box to prove their was nothing in it. An eye line match consists of the camera showing a person looking either off camera or at something the audience can't necessarily see. It is then usually followed by a point of view shot, in which the camera shows what the person was looking at. Following this shot we used a dissolve, which then fades back up to Rhys walking outside to show time passing.

For this shot we used a camera pan. This is when the camera is kept in one place but turned either left or right. We used this to reveal the sign Henry points to saying 'No returns'. This was to add to the comedy of our piece as it makes no sense as to why he shouldn't be able to return a package he never wanted in the first place. Our use of a poorly written sign in the mise-en-scene was to connote that Henry doesn't want the package either because it slapped him, or wants Rhys to keep it as he enjoys Rhys getting hit. We left this open to interpretation. 

Our final shot was an extreme close up of Rhys high-fiving the hand, after another dissolve. This was to show that over the time since trying to return the box, Rhys either began to understand the box or had tamed it. The focus was on the two hands to contrast the slap from earlier. 

In hindsight, I know now to take more care with filming different scenes, especially trying to keep the proxemics the same to keep the continuity flowing. I have also learned to shoot and reshoot so as not to be left with too little footage to edit. 

Photo Connotatons Exercise

Loneliness

We used a high angled wide shot in this photo for multiple purposes. The first reason we used this is to show the vulnerability and weakness of a person by themselves. The second was to show the area surrounding the subject. We decided that the subject should be sat in the middle of the shot this way so that there would be space around him. While the photo has the denotation that he is alone, the space has connotations that he is either waiting for someone to arrive or has been sitting with people who then left.  This is also why he is looking out of the shot. However, this shot would have been better had it been a wider shot to create a larger area surrounding the subject.

Purity

The extreme close up in this photo was to put emphasis on the contrast between the white skin and the blue of the iris. We overexposed the photo to essentially burn away any colour in the skin so it became almost pure white allowing the blue to stand out. Both blue and white are often used in costumes on stage or within a shot in film to give connotations of innocence and purity. The slight canted angle in this photo allowed us to show more of the eye whilst also keeping as much shadow off the eye as possible. 

Poverty 

A high angle in this photo creates a sense of the viewer looking down at the subject. This makes the subject seem less important, which is often how homeless or people living in poverty are viewed in society. It is also under exposed to make the image darker to connote how society often turns a blind eye to those who are worse off than everyone else. The under exposure also shows how those living in poverty see the world as a darker place than those who don't, because of the fear and uncertainty that life gives them. This slightly canted angle is to disorientate the viewer, while also showing the subjects weakness. This is also showed by the way he is avoiding looking at the camera as if he doesn't want to be noticed because he is so used to being ignored. 

Love

We used a straight on camera angle to create a sense of normality. By having the blurring in the background of this photo, the two hands were better in focus and clearly the subject of the photo. The close up of these hands has several connotations. Holding hands traditionally shows intimacy and comfort, both things one should expect in a loving relationship. However, at a closer look it seems that the hands are loosely gripping each other, and the one to the left appears to be either leading the right or pulling away from it. This was to make the viewer wonder if the hands really represent romantic love, or if it is unrequited or fading. 

Danger

For this photo, we decided to use the background to create connotations of danger. We decided the subject should be standing in front of a red background, traditionally used to show danger, but we also decided he should be standing at the edge of the red. The contrast between the red and the regular background show that he has turned away from a normal society and become dangerous. The use of medium shot shows the subject hunched over and leaning towards the red, in a threatening stance. In hindsight, this photo would have been better were the subject looking towards the camera defiantly to make the viewer uneasy of his presence.