CONTEXTUAL STUDIES: 500 CRTICIAL REVIEW - SHERLOCK

The BBC's modern adaptation of Sherlock, uses a range of different codes and conventions to appeal to its audience. Examples of cinematography, mis en scene, sound and editing can be identified as to portray how this adaptation is effective. Sherlock is a crime drama television series broadcast by the BBC, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman. A lot of the different conventions that are used are widely connected to the crime drama genre.

The editing of the show is very fast paced. For example within the first episode, when Sherlock is rushing to get somewhere to meet a killer, a range of different shots are used that a tightly edited together to reinforce the rush that the character is in. There is also an idea that the fast paced editing reflects the personality of the main character Sherlock. Sherlock as a character in this adaptation is an extremely quirky character; who acts, talks and thinks extremely fast, this paired with the fast paced editing that we see, establishes the fast paced narrative of the show as a whole and sets the pace for the series as a whole.

In terms of the cinematography, Sherlock uses a range of different abstract camera shots, this instils a sense of difference for this show. Sherlock is a widely known brand and there have been countless adaptations of it; in both film and TV. Creator Steven Moffat wanted this to be different and shine a new light on an extremely well known character, the abstract camera shots reinforce this idea of difference. For example, a low angled shot of Sherlock looking into a magnifying glass illustrates the characters intrusive nature and directs conveys this to the audience, through the fact he is staring directly at them. Many critics of the show highlight the Sherlock's child like nature and some of this can be directed toward the cinematography. For example, a long shot of him standing in front of a fire denotes a sense of danger 

There is mainly diegetic sound within Sherlock, as everything that we see is implied. We hear gun shots and explosions but we see these on screen so the sound itself is implied and fully expected by the audience. The non diegetic sound wouldn't be something the audience expects within Sherlock as everything is mainly socially realistic. 

The Mis En Scene within Sherlock is very important to the audience. As discussed, this adaption is a merge of the old brand and ideas of Sherlock, with more modern concepts, therefore it is important for the audience that they see both old and new iconographies. Firstly, there are two things that we see on screen that could be described as old iconographies of Sherlock, the hat that we see him wearing is a significant part of all Sherlock adaptations and seeing him wear it will make the audience instantly recognise who and what they are watching. Furthermore, the flat that Sherlock lives in looks the same in this adaptation as in them all, when we see long shots of the flat we see recognisable features, such as a brown arm chair and a very cluttered living room. Part of the Mis En Scene, the location of which the programme is set, stays the same, London. However the modern concepts comes from the establishing shots we see of the more modern London buildings, such as the gherkin and canary wharf. 

FINAL VERSION - REVELATION

Final version of my opening two minutes of 'Revelation'

                                                    https://youtu.be/OWN_Pafvbt8

SOFT TRAILER EDIT

Using the footage of the 14 minute short drama by Simon Ellis, 'Soft" we were tasked with editing a trailer together for the film. I found this exercise really useful as firstly it allowed me to get more to grips with using Premier Pro for editing as well as having a lot of footage to edit.

My version of the trailer can be found at -

                                               https://youtu.be/wsyHbpf-sCU

PROJECT CRITICAL EVALUATION

Throughout this Storytelling unit, i have learnt a lot about both the technical and written aspects of television production. I hope that throughout my work this term, i have effectively applied what i have learnt, such as the 180 degree rule and exposure.

Within my 2 minute opening, i feel that i effectively used a wide range of shots, such as close ups, wide angle and low angle. Throughout various screenings we had we identified a range of different camera shots which i took inspiration from and hoped to replicate within my own work. My opening included a lot of different shots all cut closely together, as we watch the main character 'Amanda' walk in to her living room. The succession of shots that i included i wanted to demonstrate an element of exposure and focusing, for example shots that focus on her feet whilst her shoes are coming off, or her hand she opens the living room door. I wanted them to look very clear and be tightly edited together. I believe that this is a strength of my opening as i think i achieved this.

There were a few things in my project that didn't go entirely to plan,  however it is good that these things happen so that i watch out for them more carefully next time and will not make these errors again. There were some continuity errors within my opening, for example as "Amanda" is looking at the photo of her father, the close up shot that i got of her picking the photo up (whilst in the other shot she is on the phone) she uses the wrong hand in the close up to pick the photo up, whereas in the main shot that same hand is being used to hold her mobile to her ear and the photo is in the other hand. Moreover, something i also thought i could improve was the main shot that i cut between during Amanda and Marks conversation. Mark was slightly cut off during some of it and he changed positions and i believe a straight shot looking direction at them would have probably been better. Something else that in hindsight i would have liked to have done, would be to add an extra scene showing Amanda leaving the house, as at the end of my opening Mark cannot find Amanda and it is inferred that she has left their house, however after watching it back i believe that it comes across as very ambiguous and an extra scene may have explained it better. Also another continuity area that i made was during Mark and Amanda's conversation, the living room door is open in one shot, closed in another and then back to being open. 

Through writing my script, i changed the story many times, adding in different characters, adding and deleted certain scenes etc. Mainly this was due to me telling too much and not showing enough, as identified by Steve Coombs in one of our feedback sessions. The main change i did was the introduction of Dave's daughter Connie, because it allowed me to add in extra scenes where Amanda meets her sister, this opened the door to have less dialogue and more 'showing'. Overall i believe that the storytelling unit for me, was a success. I learnt a lot about technical aspects of television and can now confidently identify control the Sony camera, as well as this i have learn't to correctly format and write a script, using the golden rules identified by screenwriter Steve Coombs. I hope that i managed to demonstrate this learning within my own work.

CONTEXTUAL RESEARCH - 3 SHORT DRAMAS

Gift – Singapore Inspired short film – is about a father who is trying to teach his son about giving and receiving in life. The most striking thing about this film is the variety of different shots that were used.

 The film opens with the son grown up, before it flashes back to tell the rest of the story, within this the son drops a picture of his father onto the floor, the way in which the shot is presented almost makes the audience think that he is looking down on his father, this shot paired with the line of dialogue “I don’t like my father” positions the audience to believe that he looks down on his father as someone to forget, not someone to be inspired by. 

This is further emphasized by this shot, by which the focus is on the son as he purposively rejects the money his father gives him and walks away.  Gift is a really effective short drama in portraying the emotional realisation of what a parent can do for their son, the son in this went all of his child and early adult life thinking that his father did nothing for him, when really he found out that his father did everything for him, he just realised too late when his father had unfortunately passed away. Some of the shots that came up within Gift influenced some that i put into Revelation. The above shot specifically whereby the father and son are both in view but the focus is on only the son, is a particular shot that i hope to replicate. 

1      Soft by Simon Ellis - Ellis' Soft is an effective film in portraying the internal conflict of a father wanting to protect his son. Personally I believe that the dialogue/writing of the film is extremely good, in the opening there is minimal dialogue and just background noise which builds up the tension in the narrative. 

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      The main points that I have identified from soft include -

- The father is seen perfecting the parking of his car, he is visible wearing a suit and carrying a briefcase

- Very much has a routine; he comes in and makes a cup of tea almost instantly

- The mother is a very integral part of the narrative, though she is never heard and never appears

- The only time we see the father shout and try to exert authority, is at his son rather than the gang of youths that are vandalizing his car and house

- throughout the film we see the cricket bag of the son multiple times, leading up to the son using his bat as a form of defense to stand up against the gang 

The one thing that makes Soft very different to the other short dramas is the use of mobile phone cameras, brings a sense of modernity to the drama and emphasises the socially realistic genre. 

Something i really wanted to achieve within Revelation which is present here in Soft, is a socially realistic element, i did this by trying to include only residential locations and other simple locations such as a chip shop. 

Alone - Wez Otello - is a film about a struggling mother who has to take care of her 2 daughters who are constantly arguing and putting up a fight. The mother within the drama, Sarah, is very similar to my character Dave. She is a single mother who is struggling to take care of her children, and then it is revealed that her husband/partner is in a coma in hospital and that is why she is struggling. Alone does a lot of showing and not telling, for example many close ups are shown of her face to demonstrate the emotional struggle that she feels with her fighting children.  For example the shot of Sarah in bed shows her arm stretching across the bed, denoting that she is longing for someone who isn't there, i.e. her partner who is in hospital.

 

Furthermore we see her going to hospital and talking to a man who is in a coma; we are being shown through the cinematography rather than the dialogue, this influenced me in my script as i deleted some dialogue and instead replaced with more scenes with just action in instead of a lot of dialogue that attempts to explain the story.

SHOOTING PRE-PRODUCTION - SHOT LIST

As part of my pre-production i decided to create and use a shot list rather than a storyboard, the is because i find myself being more organised with my shoot when i have a written list of everything i would like to capture and therefore can tick it off as i go along with the shoot, which is what i did.

Scene One

1 – C.U shot of the front living room window, outside of the window a car can be seen on a driveway on the opposite house, a man can faintly be seen getting out of the car. The back of AMANDA’S head can be seen as she is the one looking out of the window.

2- C.U of AMANDA’S face as she sighs and looks in disbelief, out of focus MARK can be seen coming into the room behind her.

3- Long shot as AMANDA turns around and looks at MARK

4- C.U of MARKS face as he says his opening line

5- Mid Shot as the camera follows AMANDA as she sits on the sofa

6- Wide shot of MARK as he closes the curtains

7- Cutting between C.U shots of AMANDA and MARK as they sit and talk on the sofa

Scene Two

1-  Wide shot of MARK in the kitchen as he is doing the washing up

2- C.U of MARKS face as he is doing the washing up and hears a noise

3- Panning Mid Shot as Mark walks into the kitchen

4- C.U of Amanda on the floor

5- C.U of a photo AMANDA is looking at

6- Long Shot of the living room and C.U of AMANDA and MARKS faces as they talk

7- C.U of AMANDAS HANDA as she reaches into her handbag

8- C.U of MARKS face as he looks at what AMANDA is holding

9- Medium Shot of AMANDA as she leans back comfortably into the sofa and delivers the scenes final line