THR Homework: Casting

Plot 2

The Rectifier
Plot: Sci-fi thriller set in New York following a middle aged man suffereing from amnesia trying to get his life back, with only a government badge to tell him who he is. He finds out he was part of a top secret government organisation, however when trying to uncover why and who he is he is unrecognised and told he has fforged his badge, as the name on the badge is aparenty not him. After a long interrogation it is found out that the man/employee who owns the badge called Ed and the man with amnesia are genetically the same person.
It is discovered that he is a future version of this man Ed and has been sent forward two years in the future to deliver a message to save mankind.

Casting: I believe Denzel Washington would play this role brilliantly as he is known for his serious roles such as Philidelphia (1993), Malcolm X (1992) and the role which won him his Oscar in 2001 in Training Day.

THR Homework: Casting

To think about casting, and the stars role in a film we were told to each think up a film plot of any genre.

Plot 8
The Ferry
This was my plot. I chose a thriller set in America, New Jersey and Manhattan. A girl called Hannah Paterson works at a detectives unit in New Jersey specialising in homicide. A new case comes in or a serial killer from Manhattan who meets his victims on the ferry, lures them back to his flat and kills them. This news is spread all over both cities and everyone is very panicked. Meanwhile Hannah is dating a guy called Dan, very suave and very kind. Hannah starts too find more and more clues about the 'ferry killer' and starts to get very attached to the case when a girl about her age who looked like her dies. She becomes more and more involved with the case and her boss Doug warns her to calm down about it as it s affecting her judgement. Also her boyfriend Dan is telling her to calm down because the case is starting to affect her home life. She has found out how he kills his victims and decides to go under cover on the ferry to try and catch him. However when she's on the ferry she realises it is her boyfriend Dan who is the killer. He kidnaps her to the basement of the ferry where there are loads of pipes and the scene is dark with steam around. Just as he is about to slit her throat Doug comes and shoots him in the back and kills Dan.
I think Angelina Jolie would be perfect in the role of Hannah Paterson as she is known for playing serious roles such as Girl Interrupted (1999) and Changeling (coming soon) and strong women roles such as Tomb Raider(2001, 2003), Wanted (2008), as well as police women roles such as Bone Collector (1999). She is a fantastic actress as shown by her Oscar win in 2000 for Girl Interrupted, and I believe she would play this part very well. I believe the role of 'Dan' should go to someone good looking and suave such as Leonardo DiCaprio. His role in Catch Me if You Can (2002) has made an impression on me and I believe his is perfect in this part.

BLK feedback

Hi Amelia, no not quite right. Your matches on action come at 0.07, 1.51 and 2.12 where the action from the preceding shot is cut at exactly the right point to match up the action in the next shot. The one at 1.51 is the most obvious to look at.

The one you chose is an eyeline match (we see him look off screen, followed by a shot of what he is looking at from his eyeline)which connects the 2 shots and encourages the audience to get involved from his pov.

Match on action

Hi miss, could you please let me know if i have used match-on-action correctly in the oceans 11 clip, as I am still a little unsure.

Thanks x

Oceans 11: Continuity Editing

Oceans 11- Stephen Soderbergh, 2001



This scene, although not using an extremely varied amount of shot, uses techniques of continuity very well.
A LS of Rusty and Linus establishes they are in the lobby in the hotel. As the whole way through the film, Rusty is constantly eating, and now is no different, hence they have made him eat a prawn cocktail. A matched-cut to a MS allows us to focus on just those two characters rather than their surroundings. Rusty is looking around to check for people coming, and is trying to look cool and collected (whilst still eating of course), where as Linus is very shaky and nervous which is shown by him moving around within the shot more. At 0:31 we see Rusty is still eating prawns which helps with the continuity. Another matched-cut at 0:41, followed by a eye-line match to what he is looking at allows the audience to focus with him, and Ben drawn in from his POV. It is apparent Linus is looking at something as his eyes appear quite fixed. A tilt up shows an attractive woman walking down the stairs, which is emphasised by the dramatic music. A dissolve into the next shot is used to show the time passing as she walks down the stairs, rather than watching her actually walk down the stairs. A pan across of her walking reverts the audience back to the master shot of Linus and Rusty, and an eye-line match shows Rusty to be looking at the woman now known as 'Tess'.
This shot uses good continuity as it uses good editing techniques, and the producers were very careful to makes sure nothing looked weird (like Rusty's food) so that it created a seamless effect.
When Rusty recognises Tess (not appearing particularly happy about the fact she is there) , the audience want to know more. An ellipsis at 1:23is used. This is to cut out the time when Rusty would go to see Danny, because the audience are aware that he is going to see him.

My Best Friends Wedding: Continuity Editing

My Best Friends Wedding- P.J. Hogan, 1997

This scene uses a variety of shot types and angles, whilst using camera work to reflect the mood of the scene. It also follows all the techniques of good continuety.


This scene starts with a CU of Jules' face looking forwards, but not at the camera. From watching the film we know she is at the wedding of someone she is in love with and so we can determine that she is looking at the couple. By using a lot of CUs and MCUs it made you focus on the telephone converstation, and Jules' facial expressions, rather than the busy party going on behind her. The camera zooms out to reveal a lavish wedding with many guests, this is shown further by the fancy glasses and arrangements of flowers. Jules answers her phone and from the voice, as well as the look on her face we know that it is George, her best friend. By using a MS of Jules' it gives you enough background information whilst still providing facial expressions as well as movement. Jules' looks to her left and then the camera cuts to the direction of which it appears she was looking, which works very well. A cut to a MCU of her face shows a closer and more personal facial expression allowing the audience to interact closer to her and feel sorry for her . An MCU allows the audience to recognise each of the things George is saying to her one by one; the laveder gown, hair swept up. When he says "haven't touced you cake" the camera cuts back to the left of her again, and sees that her cake is infact untouched and she is drumming her fingers on the table. This time this shot appears as if someone is watching her because there is not a clear shot, the camera is seeing Jules through the people dancing, as someone who was sitting there would. A cut back to the master shot of Jules' face shows her facial expression , which works well as it shows her shock and confusion. Jules loks over to the band and wich cuts to a cutaway shot, of the band which emphasises that this is what she was looking at. A cut back to Jules' shows her about to stand, which the quickly cuts back to the shot on the left of her, where we believe someone is watching her. The camera move fluidly like her movement, and is very smooth. The camera cuts to a different view of her searching (MLS) which just enhances her behaviour of not knowing where to look, and almost makes the audience confused with her. As she walks she passes a couple dancing and then camera cuts to a MCU of her, which shows the same couple in the background which shows continuety. After frantically searching her eyes fix on something, and the camera cuts to a LS of George sitting and also talking on the telephone. Another MCU of Jules shows relief on her face, which makes the audience very happy. From 1:33 onwards the caerma work is a twist on a shot reverse shot, as the characters are far away, but are still in converstaion (Albeit on the phone) and the shots alternate between a MCU of Jules and a LS of George. The camera tilts as George stands up which makes it more realistic. Two OTS shots show perfect use of shot-reverse-shot during conversation. These 30 or so seconds stick perfectly to the 180 degree rule. The camera tracks out after he says "dancing" to fit the whole dancing sequence in(spin and all!) As she is dancing the camera moves in an out to create the impression she is more important in the shot. A cut to a CU of her face, and then a CU of his face show them both happen and enjoying themselves. Cut to a zoom out to get a feel of the room, and everyone dancing and having a good time. Which then leads in nicely to a MS of the singer in the band. Amall montage of different couples dacing (including George and Jules) show that weddings are a happy place,a dn make the audience feel happier (which rom-coms are meant to do.) We are shown character that had parts in the film so they are familiar to us. At 3:16 the camera arcs around the two of them showing them both smiling and laughing, and ends with a fade to black. This scene is very effective is generatnig emotion in the audience by its camera work and framing.

Sliding Doors: Parallel Editing

Sliding Doors- Peter Howitt, 1998

Sliding Doors is a film all about how one moment can change your life completely and make your life go off in completly different tangents. This happens to Helen when she misses the train. She begins to lead two parallel lives, one where she got on the train to catch her boyfriend cheating on her, leaves him and becomes an independant career woman. The other wher she misss then train and never catches him at all. Throughtout the film the two Helens' lives gradually drift further apart, but still connected by things you see in the background such as places and people.

The camera work for this film is very clever as it uses parallel shots to show that the two lives are happenning at the same time, but often they'll have the two Helens' being in the same place, at the same time, and so the audience will see two completely different and seperate shots, set in the same location, with the same things happenening in the background. It lets the audience become more aware of Helens situation, and makes them feel mor in the know

Here is one clip of which they use parallel editing very effectively

Sliding Doors: Continuity techniques

Sliding Doors-Peter Howitt, 1998

Continuity is extremely important in a film, as it is what makes the film real and believable. by create a seamless effect in the editing department, you shouldn't even be able to notice the editing, as so being more focussed on the story of the film

The shot starts with a clip of the band playing. The music continues to play throughout which keeps it believable. You see a MLS of Helen sitting at the bar looking sad and you can still see the band playing in the background. It then cuts to a two shot of James and his friend which shows they are going to be important in this scene. The shot pans across so that you can see Helen at the bar. James is talking and sees Helen and calls out her name. It then cuts to a MCU of Helen and her eye line matches that of James so we know she is looking at him. A cut to James introducing himself to her and looking in her direction. The camera stays within the 180 degree rule as it stays the side of the bar the whole time. The camera then track along the bar as James walk towards Helen. Helen is still smoking and drinking a beer which give the impression that this scene is happening in real time, rather than having taken hundreds of takes to make it perfect. Shot-reverse-shots of Helen and James atay within the 180 degree rule. You notice that in one shot behind helen a waiter is waiting with his tray for some drinks to be collected, and then the next shot of Helen you see the drinks get put onto the tray and be taken away, which helps create a seamless effect. During and OTS shot of Helen James truns around and points to the other end of the bar. A cutaway shot is used of James' friend to show what he was pointing to. This is also called a reaction shot. A couple more shot-reverse-shots for conversation between Helen and James cut to a MLS of the two of them Talking and laughing which gives more atmosphere to the surroundings. This sequence works well as it uses conversation techniques (with the camera work) well whilst not sticking rigidly to the rules (James turns around from the OTS shot).