Short Continuity Sequence Evaluation

Evaluation of Continuity Sequence

Narrative- 2 people arrange a meet up to exchange a package.


Mise-En-Scene- There were 2 aspects of the narrative that we wanted to emphasize. The Package and the time. In order to do this we used close ups of the props (The watch and The Package) that would signify the importance of each key aspects. We had to establish the 2 characters roles using binary opposites. Since the audience knew minimal detail about each character, we had to emphasize their importance. The character delivering the package was well dressed, had nice gear and the blue suit connotes purity. The receiver had rough, baggy clothing, waiting by the dumpsters and causes the death of the other character delivering the package. We used Good vs Evil, Expensive vs Cheap clothing to establish the characters roles. We also used a discrete, dirty location in order to antagonize the receiver of the package.

Throughout the scenes that included the deliverer, not the receiver, we had laid out Crosses 'X's' in the background and foreground. This was subtle in foreshadowing the characters death, Intertextual to Martin Scorsese's gangster hit  "The Departed", in which our film shares the same kind of genre and character traits. 

Lighting-To set out the atmosphere or situation of the scene, we used either high or low exposure to show this. Using the high light exposure connotes a positive and safe atmosphere around the character delivering the package. As the film played out, the lighting began to get more low key to signify that something ominous is going to happen (More Foreshadowing). In the scenes that included the receiver, the lighting was very low or high key, depending on which character was in the shot the most. The sudden cut to black at the end was a symbol of the deliverer's death. In some shots, as the package was on its way to being delivered, the deliverer often went from a highly lit shot, to a low lit shot.

High or Low Camera Angles- Most of the shots of the deliverer were either low angle shots or shots of him walking. We shot it this way in order to have the audience looking up at him to which connotes his masculinity and makes him seem more dominant and heroic. This made his sudden death more tragic.

Different Camera Distances- In our short film we mostly used a mix of close ups and/or wide angle shots. We used the Close Ups to create a dramatic and intense atmosphere, especially in the end scene between the package exchange. We used the Wide angle shots to set out the scene that was taking place. 

Any Camera Movement-We used the Slider to track the protagonist's feet while walking in order to create a nice smooth pan and tracking shot which would flow from the previous shot to the slider shot very fluently. 

Fades or Dissolves-No fades or dissolves were added in editing as the genre was an action-thriller which would conventionally have quick cuts. We used a quick cut to black at the end as the antagonist shoots the protagonist's.

The Continuity System

180 Degree rule-We had to flip the shot in editing in order to use the 180 degree rule shot.

Establishing Shots- We used a wide angle of the protagonist in the car park to set out the location in which the meeting was arranged at the beginning. Another establishing shot that we used was a Medium Shot which showed the audience that the two characters were at the location that they have previously planned in the very first shot, which kept a flow of continuity in the narrative.

Match Cut On Action- The match cut on action shot we used was the opening of the door. In the first shot the protagonists walks up to the door, in the next he is opening the door and walking out. Shot inside the room, and then outside the room in the two shots.

Eye line match and POV Shot- We used the POV shot for the gun shot. We used the eye line match shot with the watch. The POV shot was used from the POV of the antagonist which puts the audience in his shoes which was intended to make them feel uneasy.

Shot reverse Shot- The shot reverse shot was used between the two characters in their "Stand-off" in the scene at the end of the film, Which had to be flipped in editing in order to work.