Technical features of my American Study Case

Cinderella featurette analysis:

0:00-0:02 is a high angle zoom- taken as if seeing her through the chimney. The high camera angle looks down upon the subject, often used to make the subject appear small and vulnerable. Using a zoom lens to appear to be moving closer to (or further away from) the subject/object, without the camera needing to move.  Match on action editing is used from us seeing her roll over from above her, to her continue to roll over and get up from another angle. Match on action emphasises continuity of space and time by matching the action with the preceding shot with the continuation of the action.

 0:00-0.04 there are both diegetic sounds, the servant bell ringing, and non-diegetic sound, the mood music/score playing. Diegetic sounds are the sounds the characters can hear-ie- character voices, sounds made by objects, whereas non-diegetic sounds they cant hear, like a voice over or mood music. 

0:03-0:05 is a medium shot of Cinderella. A medium shot is the framing of a subject from the waist up.

0:06-0:12 is another example of non-diegetic sound, with Lily James does a voice over, talking about the film whilst clips are being shown. These clips are an example of Montage editing. Montage editing is when shots are put together in a sequence to convey information, time passing or just to shorten the scenes-like in a trailer. In this example it conveys that Cinderella does all the chores.

0:09-0:10 uses high key lighting. High key lighting means an overall brighter picture. The use of lighting depends on the scene's content. If the scene is upbeat then the lighting will reflect this. Although Cinderella doesn't love chores, she still has a smile on her face as she has been taught to "Have courage and be kind." In this scene in paticular, Cinderella is basked in a glow from above connoting imagery of angels, indicating Cinderella is a "saint" to put up with her Step-mother and step-sisters. 

0:10-0:12 is a tilt shot with a deep focus. A deep shot is the focusing of a filmed scene so as to make near and distant objects equally clear. The tilt shot is where a s camera scans a set or setting vertically.

This clip also uses the rules of thirds to make the frame more visually pleasing. Rule of thirds is when a frame is composed with the idea that important compositional elements (ie the actresses) should be place on or in these intersections (imaginary lines.)

0:15-0:22 switches between over the shoulder shots of Lady Tremaine in the foreground and close up shots of Cinderella; to just close up shots of Lady Tremaine. Over the shoulder shots are used when Cinderella is talking or for reaction shots (0:20-0:22.) Over the shoulder shots are when the camera is looking from behind a character's shoulder, at a subject. The character facing the subject usually occupies 1/3 of the frame. Close up shots are of the head and shoulders, often used to show expressions/emotions of a character. A reaction shot is used to portray a person's response to an event or statement, usually whilst the event is going on, or the other person is talking to see their emotions in "real time".

0:24-0:25 is an extreme close up. An extreme close up is a shot of a part of a face or body of a character that fills the whole/dominates the frame. (Can also apply to objects.)

0:26-0:28 and 0:30-0:32  are tracking shots. A tracking shot is where the camera follows a subject/object. The tracking shot can include smooth movements forward, backward, along the side of the subject, or on a curve but cannot include complex movement around a subject.

0:34-0:35- is a two shot. A two shot is a shot of two characters possibly engaging in conversation. Usually to signify/establish some sort of relationship.

1:00-1:04 is a flashback. A flashback is a scene or a moment in a film in which the audience is shown an event that happened earlier in the film's narrative.

1:15- is an aerial shot used as an establishing shot. An aerial shot is when a camera shot is taken from an overhead position, often used to as an establishing shot to show where the next scene is set. An establishing shot can be a close up shot (of a sign) but usually is a wide/long shot appearing at the beginning of a scene.

1:21- is an example of a master shot. A master shot is a film recording of an entire dramatised scene, from start to finish, from an angle that keeps all the players in view.

1:29-1:30 is a low angle shot. A low angle shot looks up at a subject (or object). Often used to make the subject appear powerful/dominant.

1:33-1:36- are examples of visual effects. Computer Generated Images (CGI) and visual effects are used to alter previously filmed elements by adding, removing or enhancing objects within the scene.

1:36-1:37 - is an overhead shot. An overhead shot is when the camera is positioned above the character, action or object being filmed.

1:42-1:43 and 1:46-1:49 uses the 180° rule. The 180° rule is a guideline that states that two characters in a scene should maintain the same left/right relationship to one another.

1:49-1:50-is a sound effect of the bell being hit. Sound effects are added to a film during the post-production stage.

1:53-1:54 - another example of a two shot:

1:55- is a canted framing tracking shot. A canted frame or oblique is when the camera angle makes the shot appear skewed or tilted.

1:59-2:00- is an example of an eye-line match. An eyeliner match is a type of edit which cuts from one character to what that character has been looking at.

At 2:00 and 2:02 - low key lighting is used. Low key lighting means an overall darker picture. Low key lighting is used for slow or taut dramatic action. It also allows the audience to associate which characters are "bad" or "good" by which are in the light and which aren't.

2:03 is a long shot and a wide shot.  A wide shot is where the subject takes up the full frame. When referring to a person, a long shot means they take up almost the full frame height.

2:10-2:11- are the credits. Most commonly seen at the beginning and end of a film/show, it's where information is given on the cast and crew who took part in the production.

This deleted scene has examples of techniques I didn't find in the original trailer, or better examples:

0:36-0:43 is another example of a low angle shot.

0:36-0:48-another example of visual effects:

1:09-1:13 - is a Point of View Shot. A POV shot shows a view from the subject's perspective. This shot is usually edited so that the viewer is aware who's point of view it is.

1:14-1:19 - is a pan movement. A pan movement is where the camera pivots horizontally, either from right to left or left to right to reveal a set or setting. This can be used to give the viewer a panoramic view. In this case it's used as a transition to move onto the next scene.

1:20-1:24- another example of an establishing shot:

Missing these- will come back to and add these in, need longer to find good examples.

• crane, stedicam, handheld, reverse zoom, dolly,
• continuity editing, jump cut, cross cutting, cutaways, freeze frame, graphic match, juxtaposition, linear narrative, parallel editing, insert
• dissolve, fade in, fade out, wipe, superimposition, long/short take, slow/fast motion, ellipsis and expansion of time.
• synchronus/asynchronus sound, sound motif, sound effects, sound bridge, dialogue, mode of address/direct address, sound mixing, sound perspective.
• incidental music, themes and stings, ambient sound.

Mise-en-scéne - Location and set design

There were numerous locations for the film. The palace interior for the fencing scene (seen in the trailer) was filmed at "Old Royal Navy" college, London.

"Cinderella was shot at Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire, plus rural pastures and heritage sites including Black Park in Oxfordshire, which doubles for the exterior of Cinderella’s house, and the grand Blenheim Palace, where Cinderella’s carriage crosses bridges in the palace grounds.

Blenheim’s exterior also acts as the prince’s royal palace, while Lee Abbey in Exmoor was used for beautiful coastal scenes and Windsor Great Park in Berkshire is where Cinderella meets the prince on horseback in the ancient forest." -  http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2015-03-30/kenneth-branagh-how-we-created-cinderellas-fairytale-setting

Studio: Pinewood

Example of set design:

Costumes, hair and Make-up

Below is a video of a Cinderella exhibition in Leicester square that I attended which showcases the spectacular costumes and props.

"Harper's BAZAAR: How did the original Disney cartoon influence your work on the new film?

Naomi Donne: When we were all deciding on the look of the film—when I say "we," I mean Carol Hemming, the hair designer, and Sandy Powell, the costume designer—we all watched individually, did our research and I personally kept going back to the cartoon, even though it's set sort of loosely in 1840, which is Victorian, which is ringlets, and they didn't wear makeup then. So then I thought it would be really good to do a take on the film as if the film was made in the 1940s and set in Victorian times. If you look at Gone With the Wind or films of that ilk, they're set in that similar period. Everyone's got their 1940s makeup on—they wouldn't go out without it. We wanted to echo the cartoon, so for instance, when you look at the wicked stepmother, she looks quite like Joan Crawford, even though that movie was made much later than her in the 1950s. We all came together and said, "how about we make it look like a film that was set in the 40s,' so Sandy Powell's costumes have that sense—they're so incredible. And we asked Cate Blanchett's hair and makeup people to do the same thing and they went with it and she looks amazing. It gives you a chance to really liven up the faces because if we did Victorian makeup, it would just look boring, particularly with Sandy's costumes and those sets which are so elaborate.

HB: Can you walk me through the concept for each character? What was on your mood boards?

ND: I did huge amounts of tear sheets and research and went through all different magazines, conventional fashion magazines, I went through a lot of edgy, weird European fashion magazines and got lots of ideas about Cinderella. But when we decided to do this look, which is a very heightened '40s look, I wanted Cinderella's face to look as if she has nothing on, because then that's the big contrast with everybody else—she's the only one with nothing on her face, where as everyone else is overly made-up. She's very fresh and open and so was her mother and they come from a different world of honesty and music and culture and simplicity, as opposed to the complications of her wicked stepmother, her stepsisters and life at the palace. She's in a very simple place in a nice way. She contrasts really well. When she comes down into the ball, she does have a little bit more, but basically her face—and body—looks much simpler than everyone else. She sort of glows with that simplicity and that's why she stands out from everybody else, I think.

HB: Walk me through the makeup look for each character.

Lily's face was Armani Maestro foundation, she had MAC cream blush—a pinky cream—and a pale Chanel pressed powder. When we did her for the ball, I used MAC Antique Gold pigment on her eyelids and Armani Fluid Sheer in 6 on her cheeks. Then on her body I mixed MAC Strobe Cream with a silver glitter and then I brushed it all on with a big round duo makeup brush. That gave her such a kick when she came down the stairs and the light hit—her skin glowed. And then on top of that I stuck Swarovski crystals [on her chest]. And then I did much stronger blush, but I still didn't do a lot, I don't even think I put mascara on her.

HB: Were there key features you wanted to highlight on each character, such as Cinderella's accentuated cheeks?

ND: You're right about the cheeks because when you don't have much makeup on someone, you can't use the makeup to create too much of a shift in a situation. For instance, the prince is coming but she can't put more makeup on [as the character] because she doesn't wear any. So I used her cheeks to express certain feelings she might be having. So she falls in love with the prince and she gets a heightened color because she's got that flush of love going on and the flush of excitement when she goes to to the ball. And after she fell in love I heightened her cheek color because she has a lot going on emotionally and at the end she becomes a lot more womanly and we did more makeup on her when she gets married. That was the key for her because there wasn't much else to use."

http://www.harpersbazaar.com/beauty/makeup/interviews/a10268/naomi-donne-cinderella-makeup/