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Main Task - Opening Sequence: Mute

Prelim Task: The Transaction

Saturday, 9 October 2010

Continuity in Film



 In the Land of Women (2007) (scene starts from 0:04, ends at 3:04)
The scene starts with a close up of the headlights of a car, and we can see that it is parking and coming to a halt. Immediately we know that they have drove at night to some sort of field, as we can see the grass in the background. The camera zooms slightly out and then pans upwards, so that we can see Carter (Adam Brody's character) exit the car. We then have a VLS pan of Carter and the scenery behind him - this is our establishing shot, as it establishes where the scene has taken place. From what we can see, we guess they have driven to their school, as we can see a very school-like building in the background, and on the field there are white painted football lines. While this pan is taking place, we can hear our other character (Lucy, played by Kristen Stewart) get out of the car, and she is only seen in the next shot.
We then have a two shot of both our characters; Carter is bending down and Lucy is behind. This is our Master Shot, and the dialogue between them begins.
At 0:48, Carter gets up and walks towards Lucy, while the camera zooms and pans along. The fact that the scene starts with VLSs and slowly gets closer to a LS shows the continuity and follows the rule of short order. When he sits down we get a MS of him, and as the dialogue continues, the camera gets into a sequence of OTS shots.
The first OTS shot (1:06) is slightly further out and a MLS, and we can see Lucy's whole body. The next is of Carter (1:17), and we can see from his chest upwards, as it is a MS. Then the camera shows Lucy again, but this time we have a CU of just her face. So again, just by viewing these three shots, we can see that the scene is following the rule of short order, and slowly zooming in.
This carries on till about 1:34, when Lucy gets up, and we see the camera start to slowly zoom out again. And now that Lucy is standing up and Carter is sitting down, there is a large height difference, so the eyeline match rule is obviously seen. When she is talking (1:40) she has to look down, and at 1:44, he looks up to see her face. So this shot not only shows the eyeline match rule, but is also a reaction shot, as he reacts to what she has said and looks up.
The next minute of this scene carries on with more OTS/POV shots as the conversation between the two characters continue, with the shots zooming in and out again, the furthest out being the LS of Carter at 2:23.

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