Our 3 Different Features

For our prilimainary task we will be including 3 different features which are 180 degree rule, Match on Action and Shot Reverse Shot. We will be including all 3 of these in our short film.

Shot Reverse Shot:

A Shot Reverse Shot is a film technique where one character is shown looking at another character (often off screen), and then the other character is shown looking back at the first character. Common uses for this shot is when the characters are having an argument because when edited they can be reversed quickly in order to make the argument look for intense. This is how we are going to use this particular shot.

An example of a Shot Reverse Shot is at the beginning of the film 'Hunger Games' when one character is having an interview on a TV show and the shots are reversed from that character and the the interviewer. This would show you when each person is talking (when one is asking a question and the other answers.

180 Degree Rule:

A 180 Degree Rule is also a film technique which is a cinematography guideline that states that two characters in a scene should maintain the same left/right relationship to one another. When the camera passes over the invisible axis connecting the two subjects, it is called crossing the line and the shot becomes what is called a reverse angle. We can use this technique in our film when our two characters are having their argument, this will ensure that our audience will not get confused. 

An example of the 180 Degree Rule would be in the film 'The Shining'. However the director of this film ended up breaking this rule in order to give a thrilling and dramatic effect towards the audience, as the film was a thriller film. This kind of shot is commonly used when two characters are fighting or arguing in order to prevent the audience getting confused. However in some very rare cases, like 'The Shining', the rule is broken which ends up going with the plot and the type of genre the film is.

Match on Action:

Finally, the last film technique is called Match on Action, which refers to film editing and video editing techniques where the editor cuts from one shot to another view that matches the first shots action. We will achieve this in our film when our first character walks into the room towards our second character who will be sitting down.

An example of a Match on Action is in the series 'Friends' where the character Chandler opened the door. The camera was facing him as he talked to the people at his door, then as he closed the door the camera angle switched and was now in the room facing the door as it closed. Match on Action enables the audience to see everything that happens in a scene, in order to understand the program fully.