Production Tips

Diegesis.

Sound in movies play an important role in creating meaning and understanding for the audience. Sound comes across in two forms; diegetic sound, and non-diegetic sound.
Diegetic sound is sound that is present in the scene and where characters are aware of it. Diegetic sound is any sound presented from a source within the film's world. Examples of non- diegetic sound include dialogue, sound effects which are heard by characters, (for example gun shots, thunder, or explosions) background music which is heard by characters (for example the radio or CD players).
Non- diegetic sound is sound that is only there for the audiences viewing experience. It is added in after the shooting and can come in forms or soundtracks, atmospheric music, voice-overs or narration. Non-diegetic sound is sound that source
Is neither visible on the screen nor has been implied to be present in the action.
Some types of sound are both diegetic and non-diegetic. An example of that is a characters voice-over. It is diegetic because the character is aware of the sound, as he/she are saying creating it. It is non-diegetic because other characters will not hear it.

Micro and macro origination

When aiming a film at a target audience, you need to take into account the micro-macro strategy. This will enable you to include conventions of a particular genre or style of film. The microelements would include types of camera angles, music, style of titles, dialogue, setting and pace of the film. All of these elements will add up to a macro theme and set of representations that will help you accomplish a particular genre of your film. For this reason, pre-production tasks are very important so you can develop your ideas and make sure that your approach to filming is not out of step with the conventions of the type of film you are making.

Camera work and framing

In order to obtain a steady shot whilst shooting a film, it is best to use a tripod to maintain a smooth shot. If you are aiming to create an effect of a realist/documentary shot then a handheld camera would work well. Most shots are still shots. This allows the audience to pick up any movement that happens in the scene, whether it being by characters or objects. This allows movement to become an effective exception to the norm. Zooming is rarely used in films as it can come across quite amateur, so unless you are trying to capture the amateur effect, it is best to avoid zooms.
Film uses fewer close ups than TV. This is mainly because the viewing screen in film is a lot bigger. When you are filming, you should make sure to select a wide screen framing. With film, it is recommended to use mainly mid-shots and long shots, with close ups used sparingly.
The rule of thirds is a concept in video and film production in which the frame is divided into nine imaginary sections. It is best to avoid the central square when it comes to positioning objects, as the eye is drawn to off-centre areas. Putting people and objects off-centre will focus the audience’s concentration on the image.
Using a range of shots is essential to the film. Combining a range of shots enable you to capture action, emphasise location and put you in the characters perspective. These shots will allow the audience to get a better understanding of the film and the range of shots will make it a more interesting viewing experience.
Camera angles can give off impressions and connotations of characters. For example a low angle shot would connote that the particular character is big and powerful. A high angle shot would make a character seem small and defenceless. Simple techniques like these give the audience an understanding of the character.
Other tips that will help make your film seem more professional include: make sure that you practice the type of shot you about to take a few times before actually recording. This will make the shot seem of better quality, as you will have learnt how to capture the shot effectively and professionally. Test microphones are working correctly before you start recording so you don’t end up with a silent movie by mistake. Be a perfectionist and re-film a shot if the camera accidentally shakes, or if you are not pleased with the shot you have taken. Try out different camera shots so that you can include a range of different camera shots in your film.

Mise en scéne

Mise en scéne is an expression used in theatre and film to describe the design aspects of a production. It is all about the atmosphere and continuity of the film and essentially is all about detail. Try and choose the correct props, costumes, lighting and locations to create the right kind of vibe you are trying to create in your film. Try to make your mise en scéne consistent. This will make your film flow more and seem more professional. Try to avoid silly mistakes such as costume changes mid sequence as this will make the film seem very unprofessional. Poorly chosen props, along with bad acting will make your film seem very unprofessional and you should try and choose actors and actresses that also take drama so that they are more comfortable.


Lighting

Here are five tips copied from Michael Massey article for Media Magazine about how students can make use of lighting without the use of expensive and professional lights.

1) Use natural light- sunlight, in shadow, in mist, through rain- depending on the effect you need, and bearing in mind that you will have to be flexible about time if you need to wait for the right conditions.
2) Use cheap and cheerful artificial light- as long as you have carried out the risk assessments, you can make use of candles, firelight, torches, car headlights, security lights, neon signs and street lighting.
3) Create colour filters- you can easily shine light through coloured liquids, vases, ornaments.
4) Position the light source for effect- lighting a scene from above, below or in an obscured way will create different kinds of atmosphere (mise en scene), so experiment with this using the kinds of light source listed above.

The grammar of non-linear editing

You will need to observe the rules of grammar that apply when it comes to editing and creating continuity in your film. You also need to choose the right rhythm and pace of the editing. Using effective transitions between clips will make your film seem proffesional and help make your film slow. You should try to use hard cuts for 90 per cent of your editing, this is a simple, but effective editing technique.


Combining sound, image and titles.

When it comes to putting together footage with suitable sounds and titles you need to make very careful decisions. You need to choose items that are suitable for you films genre. Try and choose fonts that are appropriate for you films genre, such as gothic, scary font for a horror film. You should use trial and error when it comes to choosing the best font. Choose a reasonable time for the titles to appear on screen, you don’t want it to be on there for too long, but also you don’t want it to whiz past not allowing the audience enough time to read it. You also need to take into account what effect the titles have on the audience’s understanding of the narrative, genre and representational aspects that you need them to grasp quickly since this is an opening sequence.
You should choose music to add ambience to the start of your film that helps build a lot of tension. You should think about the semiotic function of the music and make sure the music is the same pace and tone of the sequence.