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Gina Maunsell's Final Cut Shot Analysis

I analysed the first ten shots of Last One Standing (excluding idents). 

1. The first establishing shot is a slanted long shot showing the house through trees. I think that this works well because it shows where the film is set and also the light is switched on in the house so it shows that someone’s in. Also because it’s slanted it appears more unusual.

2. The second shot is a medium close up, over the shoulder shot of the main character (the girl) looking in the mirror. I think that this is good because it lets the viewer see the main character for the first time in an interesting way and also it shows you that she’s getting ready to go in the bath.

3. Next there’s a point of view, long shot that starts walking towards the house. This lets you know that there is someone outside and they are coming to the house. It’s also quite a short length shot but I think that this works well because it makes the film faster paced and interesting.

4. The fourth shot is a medium shot showing the girl walking across the screen (going to the bathroom). This shot shows her from the waist down which makes it more interesting than if it was showing her from the waist up.

5. The next shot is a point of view continued from shot 3. What I like about these shots is that they keep switching between indoors with the girl and outdoors with the character that the viewer hasn’t seen yet because it keeps the film fast paced and connects the characters.

6. Next there’s a medium shot of the girl from behind putting a dressing gown on. This shows the viewer that she is about to run a bath which almost connects her to Marion Crane in Psycho with the shower scene.

7. There is then a long shot of the house showing the light go off. I don’t think that this works very well because the girl never actually turns off the light but it does let the viewer know that she’s gone out of that room.

8. Next there’s a medium long shot of the girl walking into the bathroom. I like this camera shot because it’s the first time you properly see the girl from the front which shows that they’ve used a good range of shots that aren’t straight on previously.

9. Then there’s a long shot of the house again like the seventh shot but this time the bathroom light goes on. Again the continuity doesn’t really work but I think that the idea’s good because it shows the viewer that the girl’s gone from one room to another but it keeps the shots from outdoors which makes you remember the character outside.

10. The tenth shot is a medium, slightly high angle shot of the girl going to turn the bath tap on. I think that this angle works well because it shows that the girl is about to get into trouble.

Horror Poster Analysis – The Ring Two

The Ring Two Poster

This poster from The Ring Two uses a long, mid angle shot. The long shot allows the viewer to see the entire girl which is effective because it lets you see her pose which is unusual for a girl of her age and is quite eerie. I think that the mid angle works well because it doesn’t give the girl any clear characteristics and makes the viewer want to know what she has to do with film.

The girl in the shot appears a bit disturbing as she is isolated in the poster and surrounded by black. Her pose is unnerving and as you can’t see her face it makes you interested in what she would look like but also makes her look mysterious and scary.

The poster also has a few subtle links to the film which might be noticed by people who have seen The Ring (1) but also gives a slight indication of what’s going to happen at the end of the film. Firstly, the picture of the girl looks like it is on a low quality screen. A video is the central point of the film, so this connects the poster with the film and what happens in The Ring 2. The poster also shows a couple of links to the well in the film. The ‘o’ in the word ‘two’ is a view looking up from the bottom of the well when the lid is on, and the words ‘Fear comes full circle’ also links to this.

The poster is very dark and uses a colour palette of just black, white and blue. This shows that the film is dark and frightening which is good for a horror. The typeface of ‘the ring two’ text is also quite unusual and I think that it helps to show that the film’s a horror and you wouldn’t use it on another genre of film.

Shot Types Overview

There are many different shot types and they can, if used correctly, provide the audience with signifiers relevant to the film.


Extreme Long Shot (ESL): An extreme long shot is a shot from a great distance. This is usually used as an establishing shot at the start of a film, but is also sometimes used at other stages in a film. It's purpose is usually to provide exposition to the audience of the setting.


Long Shot (LS): A long shot has all of the subject in frame. Using a person as an example, a long shot would show his feet at the bottom of the frame and the top of his had at the top of the frame.


Medium Long Shot (MLS): A medium long shot of a person would have his knees at the bottom of the frame and the top of his head at the top of the frame.


Medium Shot (MS): A medium shot would go from the waist of a person to the top of their head.


Medium Close-Up (MCU): A medium close-up would go from the chest of a person to the top of their head. This would be a good shot to use when showing a person talking.


Close-Up (CU): A close-up shot would go from a persons shoulders to the top of their head. This can be used effectively to show a character's expression.


Extreme Close Up (ECU): An extreme close-up gets close in to show a detail, such as eyes. This can be used to direct the audience's attention to an important part of the mise-en-scene.


Point of View (POV): A point of view shot shows the view of a character. This was used a lot in Peeping Tom and can be used to make the audience feel like it is their view and not the characters.


Two Shot: A two shot shows to important characters in the same shot. It can be used to show that the two characters are in some way connected or can be used when the characters are interacting with each other.


Over the Shoulder Shot: An over the shoulder shot looks at a subject from over a different characters shoulder. It is usually used when the character facing in the direction of the camera is talking to the other character.


Low Angle Shot: A low angle shot is taken from a low angle looking up at a subject. It is best used for making the subject look powerful and dominant, which can be good for showing a killer.


High Angle Shot: A high angle shot is taken from a high angle looking down on a subject. This can make the subject look weak and vulnerable, which would be good for showing a victim.


Dutch Tilt: A dutch tilt is when the camera is tilted slightly so the horizon is at an angle. This can create the feel that something isn't right and makes things feel uneasy.


They are the main shot types that we will be using, other's include crane shots and helicopter shot, however we obviously can't use them.

Exploring a Past Student's Blog

I looked at Gina Maunsell's blog.

• This group got feedback on their film and used it to change their main character
• Use time more effectively to get all work done
• One of the scenes in their film was inspired by the shower scene in Psycho
• They re-filmed some shots because they had enough time and the first shots didn't end up as they wanted them
• They created a script for the film with stage directions and side notes
• The target audience was aged from 15 to mid-20 year olds as their characters were this age so the audience could relate to them
• For the Untitled Productions ident they timed the heartbeat sound with the text animation so they linked with each other
• They researched other low budget films to see how other people have done it
• Got consent forms signed from their actors
• They made the soundtrack in GarageBand

Other people's blogs:

• Evaluated the preliminary task and pointed out things he did to improve his full product
• Used media from other films of the same genre such as Clowns and similar cast
• Used Facebook to get feedback and advice for his work
• Put the final cut at the top of the page so it's easily accessible

Hopes for Media Studies

In media studies I would like to learn how to use equipment and software to a good standard. I am also interested in learning what makes a good film and how soundtrack, shot types, colour etc affect the mood of a film. I think that Bradford Film Festival will also be good for learning and seeing what other people have made.


I am most looking forwards to creating a horror film opening because I think that it will be interesting to do all of the roles of producing a film and it will also be pretty fun to make.

My Favourite Film - The Silence of the Lambs

The Silence of the Lambs on IMDB

My favourite film is The Silence of the Lambs because I think that the plot is really good. It keeps you in suspense for quite a few parts of the film which is helped by the plot, great directing and acting.

I also like how the main characters in The Silence of the Lambs are all very different but have interesting, unique characteristics. Hannibal Lecter, for example, is very intelligent and cunning but he is a cannibalistic serial killer. These aren’t traits that you would expect to work together successfully, however with Hannibal it works very well. Buffalo Bill is also a very interesting character. He’s a really creepy character but I think what makes him most unnerving is that he is very strongly based on Ed Gein. I think all of the characters are acted very well which helps to add believability to the film and helps you to better understand the characters.

My favourite scene from the film is when Hannibal escapes from his holding cell. This scene (parts 1-3 on YouTube) can be watched here (not posted due to size).