The short kidnapping scene we
published was called The
Takening. It has no defined
narrative and is just a sequence showing one person (me, Justin Chamberlain)
being attacked and kidnapped by some-one else (Harry Smith) for unknown
intentions.
From the start of filming we had a clear idea of one of the scenes that we filmed; the cupboard scene. It starts with me opening my eyes and getting blinded by the sudden bright light upon gaining consciousness. We made this effect by starting to film with the Lens cap on and then suddenly opening it to create the intended effect.
This scene we recorded from 4 different angles; a POV from me, the
victim. Another POV from Harry, the kidnapper, a high angle displaying the
contact when the victim gets punched and finally a low canted angle showing
when the victim hits the floor. We had to film several different takes of these
shots for the intended effect but we reached it eventually.
After we finished the recording process of this scene we edited it
together and arrived at what we have now. However the clip was only very short
so we decided to film some more scenes and edit them into it to create a better
narrative and a longer sequence.
One of the scenes we recorded was the victim getting abducted, we
filmed this several times to make sure we got the correct scene to use; this is
currently in our final video. Another scene that we didn't manage to edit in
was an over-the-shoulder shot of the kidnapper as he was walking down the
corridor and also a close shot of his feet. We would have integrated these
clips into the POV of the victim to create a sensation of panic, hysteria
and terror. It would have also created tension because the viewer knows that
something is going to happen to the victim and the victim may also be aware
that something is going to happen, but not quite what.
The first shot shown in the sequence shows the victim being abducted. This angle was used because it shows a clear outline of what is happening but still keeps the kidnapper out of shot so the viewer doesn't know what is going to happen. It makes it seem very calm and as if nothing is going to happen up until the kidnapping scene.
In addition, the second angle is a POV of the victim. The use of
opening the lens cap while already filming makes the camera blinded and out of
focus for a short period of time to create a sense of disorientation and
uneasiness. The victim then looks to his feet and seems shocked to discover
that he is tied up in an unfamiliar place. The camera then starts to shake
and become less steady to make the victim seem panicked and
distressed.
Furthermore, the third shot is a POV of the kidnapper. This shot
is steadier and is high to make the kidnapper seem in control
and intimidating towards the victim. The camera angle changes just
before the door opens so the identity of the kidnapper is unknown to
make it seem more mysterious.
The fourth shot used was a high angle displaying the point of
contact as the kidnapper struck the victim in the chair. This shot
also hides the kidnappers face so the identity of him is still a mystery. The
high angle creates a feeling of domination as if the kidnapper is in
control of the whole situation.
Finally, the last shot used was a low, canted angle of the victim
falling and shows the kidnapper looming over the body of the victim. The canted
angle suggests that something is wrong with the scene and it is not as it
should be. Only the shoulders downwards of the kidnapper are shown so that the
identity is still a secret.
By doing this task I have learned several valuable lessons about the filming process. At the start we only recorded the same shot from 4 different angles, even though all of these were not shown. It is good to have lots of rushes to edit with but in the limited time it was necessary that we had lots of different shots that we would have used. If we recorded the cupboard scene with less angles, or not as much from each angle we could have spent that time recording more clips to create a better narrative of the sequence.