Poker Films to Study

Lock. Stock and Two Smoking Barrels

21

Rounders

High Stakes Poker (TV; Reality)

Casino Royal

Texas Hold 'em Rules and Hands

http://www.texasholdem-poker.com/handrank

Research: Styling a card game

The movie '21' (2008) is a great film to take reference to make a card game looked stylized and interesting (as Blackjack isn't the most interesting to watch as a third party outsider). Some of these tight extreme shot etc could be used in our piece.

Opening of '21' - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnlDNBoZ1_Y&feature=related

Simple Game Play - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NThsFs4Pwo&feature=related (from 03.15 - 05.15)

Without narration - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cIJYtSuDRg&feature=related

(from 03.42-04.50)

Although this all has to be adapted for Poker as it is a different game etc etc etc.

Poker Game; High Stakes Poker (Real Game Play) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_vYW4wwOOk

'Rounders' (1998); Poker Film; Slower Style & Relevant Game - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r69UXzsoLz0

Initial Ideas

Group: Jack Blinman, Jemma Rowlston, Sonia Wan, Matt Laverack.

Initial Genres: Fantasy/ Mystery/ Gambling

Shall upload Video soon...

Catch Them All SCRIPT

Catch Them All

Jack Blinman, Jemma Rowlston, Sonia Wan

AGENT 1: Jemma Rowlston

AGENT 2: Sonia Wan

THE BOSS: Jack Blinman

THE VICTIM: Jack Blinman

*** SECRETARY: JODIE GLASSENBURY

TITLE SCREEN

THE VICTIM feet are seen running down a road. Tracking shot.

CREDIT SCREEN

THE VICTIM is still running. Shot tilts upward from his feet.

Scene 1

The Corridor

AGENT 1 and AGENT 2 are walking down a corridor. Other employees are busying themselves with papers, answering phones and tapping on computers. AGENT 1 is worried about seeing THE BOSS as this is her first job. AGENT 2 is more confident as she is more experienced.

AGENT 2

I’m nervous.

AGENT 1

Don’t be.

AGENT 2 gives AGENT 1 a doubtful look.

THE VICTIM is seen vaulting a fence and carries on running.

AGENT 1 decides to reassure AGENT 2

AGENT 1

We know everything went down the way it had to. Nothing will happen to us.

AGENT 2

But…but. The other guys…. They were telling me stuff.

AGENT 1 looks at AGENT 2 confused.

AGENT 1

Stuff?

AGENT 2

Y’know…stuff. Like what he does to people if they don’t get a job done. Y’know…the beheading… the disappearing… the electrocuting in a dark room surrounded by robot rats!!!

AGENT 1

The Henry the Eighth style execution?

AGENT 1 laughs quietly to herself. AGENT 2 stops with big eyes; believing AGENT 1.

Point of view shot of VICTIM running.

AGENT 2

Henry the Eighth?

AGENT 1 walks into an over the shoulder shot (ready for shot reverse shot), smiling evilly to herself. She nods at AGENT 2, teasing her. AGENT 1 talks jokingly with a smile.

AGENT 1

Yeah! The gutting, the eating your insides, the burning. The whole shebang!

AGENT 2 looks terrified. She gulps.

AGENT 2

Really? Does he really do that to you?

AGENT 1’s smile disappears to s serious face; an incident coming to mind.

AGENT 1

There was that one guy… But nothing to worry your pretty little head about. Come on.

AGENT 1 walks off. AGENT 2 is hesitant but follows, less enthused than before.

Scene 2

THE BOSS’s Office

They walk to THE BOSS’ door and push down the handle. As the handle reaches its optimum point, there is the sound of a gun being fired.

AGENT 1 and AGENT 2 walk into THE BOSS’ office. All is silent. AGENT 1 and AGENT 2 sit down at THE BOSS’ desk opposite him. AGENT 2 looks a mixture of terrified and confused/shocked. Throughout this scene THE BOSS is off camera until the reveal at the end.

THE BOSS

Is it done?

AGENT 1

Yes, Sir, it’s done. A clean job; Done and Dusted.

THE BOSS

Good.

There is silence. AGENT 1 turns to look at AGENT 2 as if THE BOSS has implied a question of AGENT 2s expression. AGENT 2 looks at AGENT 1. AGENT 2 and AGENT 1 look at THE BOSS.

REVEAL.

END- CREDITS

***

AGENT 1 and AGENT 2 walk out of the boss’ office. A SECRETARY walks up to them holding a folder.

SECRETARY

Agents, you’re next target.

SECRETARY hands the folder to AGENT 2 who opens it. AGENT 1 reads over AGENT 2s shoulder.

AGENT 1

Gareth Alverez.

AGENT 1 and AGENT 2 look up into the camera with a straight look.

END.

3) What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

Catch Them All

The Basic Facts:

Genre: Satire/Sketch (Although it first appears to be Action)

Distributer: A sketch show might buy our film as it is a satire. Manga production houses might distribute our film as it features a manga legend; Pikachu. The Pokémon franchise might distribute our film as it features one of their main characters - publicity for them. Youtube is one of the main distributors of amateur films at the moment. Although it gives no return, it is free publicity for you and your work so therefore youtube.com might distribute our film. If none of the above, then a school or media studies division of a school might distribute our film in a showcase or as exemplar material for their new students- the small mistakes and the large mistakes would be a good test to see the detail their students look into the film. It might also be shown at independent film showings or parties; although no return financially, the publicity is priceless.

6) What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

As this has been the first film production I have been a part of so far, I have learnt a lot.

During Planning:

Plain and simple, there is a lot of planning. Dialogue in a script my seem too long but it's shorter than you think! There is a lot of planning (further, more detailed planning could have been done as the slight mistakes in continuity prove).

During Production:

Unless the proper equipment is available, tracking shots are not the easiest thing to do. We tried skateboards, but found it is rare for them to go in straight lines and then there is the problem of the noise from the wheels. We tried running along side the subject but soon found it was hard to frame and if you're attention was placed on the framing, it is easy to run into walls. Try not to do extreme physical scenes such as running around on a hot summer's afternoon as the actor soon becomes grouchy...

Know where the camera needs to be so as to not make continuity mistakes. Don't trip over the tripod (which I learnt to use during this project; for the corridor long shot). People not involved in the production (people wondering around) don't like to be asked to move...

The Camera:

I learnt how to use a hand held video camera during this project. I filmed some of the scenes with the victim and it is tricky to get to grips with the equipment at first but it soon becomes familiar. There are many clips of me accidentally pressing the record button when trying to find playback.

Post Production:

Editing: iMovie:

Editing is a long process and saving is important. I have never edited anything before and found the software hard to use at first, but after four hours it soon becomes familiar.

Uploading the footage was exhausting as we had used a digital recorded as well as the tape recorder to shoot our film. This made the process of uploading the footage harder.

A big problem we came across during filming was the sudden loss of sound. This lead to re-uploading bits of footage. We soon learnt to upload everything to a separate folder on the computer so as to avoid re-uploading continuous.

iMovie is easy to use and understand when you put your mind to it. And editing is really fun after a while; the best bit!

Shot Stills:

These are examples of the shots we used in our production:

1) The Point of View shot from the victim. The hue was changed so the picture was black and white to signify that these shots are a flashback.

2) The opening tracking shot. To start on this type of shot with the subject running grabs the audiences attention right from the start. Again the hue has been altered for the black and white effect.

3) The establishing shot in the corridor was a long shot. The extra walking past the camera gives the atmosphere that this is a working office. The wanted signs add to the feel of a working agency. Mise-en-scene could have been improves as the building itself still looks like a school. Could have been shot in a corridor in the secretary areas maybe?

4) Mid shot tracking focuses the audiences attention on the agents and establishes that these two are the focus of the story (along with the victim). Also allows for detail in facial expressions and gestures. Again, mise-en-scene could have been improved, but due to the location actually being a school corridor, major alterations would not have been viable.

5) The over the shoulder shot used in the shot-reverse-shot that crosses 'the line'. This angle also changes Agent 2s eye line which could be confusing. Mid Shot.

6) A close up shot over the shoulder that does NOT cross 'the line'. The close up allows for focus on reactions and facial expressions (as well as gesture as this example shows). Mise-en-scene could be improved as the wanted posters are non-existent in this shot...

7) Extreme close up of the door handle used in the match on action sequence. Could have been more extreme and avoided the photo frame in the corner- all things to consider in the future.

8) The hand reaching for the handle in the match on action sequence. Extreme close up. Notice how the hand in coming from the right and not the left as pointed out in Q1.

5) How did you attract/address your audience?

We attracted our more sophisticated audience by making everything slick. This also reflects a part of the genre of our film as well as the style we were using in story. The title are in a simple font with with on black. Every fading dissolve was into black and the agents were dressed in black and white. This simple colour scheme for the main points of focus kept the piece unified as well as creates a sense of sophistication and seriousness (Pikachu is the only change to this colour scheme with his yellow head as at the point of film the genre turns from assassination/action to comic; together creating our overall genre of satire).

The identification with the victim also drew our audience as he was the only character the audience could realistically identify with (with his casual clothes as the connection). The cast consisted of sixteen to seventeen year olds which could appeal to the target audience age as they could identify with the cast (and maybe aspire to be like them as the age similarity implies there's a possibility of becoming like the agents at that audience?)

We also drew the manga loving audience firstly threw the title of our piece. A few people thought of Pokémon upon hearing the title but not the film. All members of the audience that watched Pokémon at a point was able to make the connection between 'Catch Them All' and THE BOSS.

The relatively quick paced editing attracted the audience members that love action films as, with the cutaways, the editing reflected this genre.

Our film was primarily shown to Media Studies students who, presumably, enjoy film. We aimed to make our piece as professional as possible which would hopefully attract them.

Screen Shots

Can't paste screen shots onto the documents and don't know any other way to get them onto the blog!!!

1) In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Shot-Reverse-Shot

As part of the Prelim criteria we had to include a shot-reverse-shot. In Catch Them All we used this film convention in the classic place; during the dialogue in the corridor scene. This convention is used in order to show the audience who is speaking as well as each character's reactions to what is being said.

180-degree rule

This, again, was part of the criteria and so had to be used. It was automatically used during our shot-reverse-shot sequence in the corridor dialogue. However, only after we completed editing did we notice that the 180-degree rule was broken at one point (during the line AGENT 2: Really? Does that really happen?!). The camera accidentally crosses the line to over AGENT 1's right shoulder. This is something we could improve on in our next piece. This mistake was made due to confusion as to which side of AGENT 1 the camera should be in relation to this convention.

Match On Action

The final rule that was specified in the criteria was match on action, specifically as a character walks through a door. Our match on action sequence is as AGENT 1 and AGENT 2 walk into THE BOSS' office. The editing of this sequence is really fast which some audience members said was out of key with the speed of the film. We had originally planned to have a non-diagetic gun shot as the handle was pushed down, however we made the decision not to include this feature as we felt it might cause confusion as to what was happening.

Correct Framing

We tried to use the rule of thirds all the time in order to create a better picture, however some of the shots might not have been as precise as they should have been. This will be something to think about more during the filming of our next piece.

In post production, however, we noticed there was a slight problem with continuity. As the Agents walk around the corner in the corridor we cut to them walking up to THE BOSS' office. During post-production we noticed that the Agents walked around the corner going from left to right. However, after the cut they walk into the frame from right to left. This was a mistake that wasn't noticed easily and is a point to improve. To eliminate mistakes with framing and continuity like this in the future would be to plan each shot not only with the mise-en-scene, but also the position of the camera. Having made the mistake, we are now aware of this being a problem when previous to the creation of Catch Them All we had not been fully aware that this kind of framing would be a problem.

Camera Angles and Shots

We tried to use a range of camera angles in Catch Them All. Most of the variety came from the victim cutaways. During these shots we tried hard not to show the victims face which limited the shots we could use. Here we used:

• Point of View (to add a personal touch and put the audience in the victims place)
• Tracking (to open the film dramatically and establish that the victim in the flashback is running)
• Wide Effect shot (to show the objects the victim has to overcome; to show he is moving and not just running the same piece of ground)
• Low wide shot (add drama)

Most of these shots were of the victim's feet in order to give the character anonymity.

During the rest of our piece we used:

• Long shot (to establish the corridor)
• Tracking with Close Ups (to close up on the agents and their conversation)
• Close up
• Mid-shot
• Extreme close up

The last three were used in conventional ways to show emotion and draw attention to speakers.

4.Who would be the audience for your media product?

Gender: Males and Females (however it could be bias to males as the film is about assassins and men generally are interested in the more violent topics. To countract this bias we made the agents female; giving this gender more power in the film.)

Age range: 15-19

Interests: Assassinations. Anime programmes; specifically Pokémon. Action.

Character/spirit: Humourous. Quick witted.

Of course, with this being a A level media product we were mainly aiming it at other media students and the examiners.

2. How does your media product represent particular social groups?

Catch Them All features assassins and victims. The main characters are assassins however, with the victim not being developed. In our film, we have two different types of assassin: the newbie on her first job, and the more experienced, laid back assassin.

We first showed this through costume:

Agent 1:

Agent 1 was the more experienced character. With an overall more laid back appearance with loose hair. There was also a lot more 'flare' than Agent 2. She wears bracelets and a studded belt as well as Converse trainers. These imply she isn't as nervous as Agent 2.

Agent 2:

Agent 2 was more up tight as she is still finding her feet as an assassin. She is in a single colour palet with high heels and a generally more office/formal like appearence. She has no 'flares' like Agent 1.

Both Agents are dressed in black and white which maintains they are at work and are still serious about their work.

The differences between the two agents show that the assassins can be of varying ability. The fact the two are paired together gives the impression that, although the elder has a more immature appearence, there is a student teacher relationship. This type of relationship is reinforced by Agent 1 comforting Agent 2.

Their actions again reflect their personalities.

Our film represents the assassins as powerful, almost feared people. This is shown through the one extra moving out of the way of the younger assassin when they walk down the corridor. This gives the assassins a short of power over the office staff. Maybe the office staff are afraid of the assassins as they kill people?

The victim's ordinary clothing shows him as an ordinary person. This could reflect the agency of assassins as dangerous people who are able to kill normal folk - maybe they are contracted out to people with grudges? Maybe the members of the audience could be on the hit list?

Prelim: Locations

For the Victim Scene: the angle for the tracking shot (otherwise it is an uninteresting gray building that is ugly)

The track for the POV shot in the Victim Scene.

Steps outside the library for the victim scene

The fence VICTIM has to vault (must be cleared of rubbish for mise-en-scene purposes)

Track for the Victim scene; other view.

Mr Inman's Office

Mr Inman's Office door. The camera angle would have to be low or the sign covered in order not to include the door sign for mise-en-scene purposes.

Mr Inman's Office; THE BOSS' chair

The Hallway; from the perspective of the agents

A workstation; will be furbished with stationary, files and paper for mise-en-scene purposes

Within the Hallway there are a few lots of lockers. They are not found in Assassination agencies so had to be covered up with boards on which we stuck WANTED posters. 

The Hallway

Prelim: The Ideas Behind it

Brief Synopsis:
Two assasins walk down a corridor towards the Boss' office. The boss is made out through their dialougue to be the meanest, badest, scariest boss around. The agents are slightly worried about meeting him, even though they know the job is done.
Meanwhile, the victim is being chased and murdered brutally (the murder will not be seen by the audience, but alluded to in order to avoid murdering someone for real and in the effort not to create a corny and low budget murder scene that will cheapen the hopefully high quality of our project).
The assassins enter the and find the boss has a bit of a twist; he is actually PICKCHU!!!

Locations:
Corridor: Sixth Form Media Corridor
THE BOSS' office: Mr T. Inman's office
VICTIM scenes: Fences outside Library, Stairs outside Library, Long strip of pavement running alongside Fitzroy, the Library and the fences.

Costumes and Props:
2x suits (female)
Blue Boards
Men's suit
Casual clothing (trousers, t-shirt, trainers) for VICTIM
Pickchu mask
Office suppilies
Wanted posters

Equipment:
Camera
Tripod
Skateboard (for tracking shots)
Mac computer
Microphone
Clapperboard

Casting:
AGENT 1: Jemma Rowlston
AGENT 2: Sonia Wan
VICTIM/THE BOSS: Jack Blinman
EXTRAS: Friends; Jodie Glassenbury, Nick Lange, Luke Goodliffe

Comments:
We planned the majority of the shooting around the availability of the extras for the corridor scenes as they were vital and are not in our media class (other member of our class could not help as they were filming their own prelims at the time). We shot the office scenes according to Mr Inman's schedule as to not disrupt any of the higher members of sixth form staff. The victim scenes were shot during the media lessons. This slowed the process of filming down a lot as we couldn't film everything all at once and easily. It also took a lot more time to set up the set etc than the three of us (Jack Blinman, Sonia Wan and I) thought. However, the lessons where we were not filming due to unavailability of cast/sets, we spent editing and/or uploading footage (see another post for the complexities of that...).

October 15th Lesson

Today we had a double with Mr Alvarez. We watched over everyone's prelim's ('The Pizza' was great!) and made notes and critisisms about them in a table. All seemed to suit criteria, baring one or two that were missing a few elements.