Evaluation of The Lottery Ticket

1.) The task was to create a 90 second short film for depict.org in which a package of some kind changes hands. We had to make sure that all shots were taken on a tripod, we had to include ONE (but only one) zoom. We could use another camera movement like a pan or a tilt in only one other shot. We had to use one eye line match to a POV (point of view), at least one match on action. We had to use one close up, and at least one extreme close up. We were not allowed to break the 180* rule and we were not allowed to use any dialogue (except where agreed specifically by your teachers).

2.) We made seven storyboards in preparation for the shoot, and also we made a prop list of all the things that we needed, like tweed jacket, a pushchair, a radio, a lottery ticket etc. I came up with the initial idea and my group liked the idea and then the group added some other ideas. We storyboard it by writing descriptions, drawing pictures, estimating how many seconds the little shots took up.

3.) The shoot went OK but there were times where I could not be bothered filming it but we got through it in the end. We shot all shots three times so we had plenty of all shots. We had to change many things from the story board. One of the things we changed was a scene with a dog where the ticket would blow into his mouth and the dog would run around with the ticket in his mouth. Also there was another scene where I come running round the corner and I collide with a woman pushing a trolley with shopping in it and I fall into the trolley and I go down a hill in the trolley. We had to take the scenes out because it took up too much time. We had to make sure that we shot every thing of the shot when we were shooting, and if we were in a location for one shot and the same for another then we would soot them shots. We worked OK as a group, there were times when we had some moments but we continued filming. Everyone got equal access t all of the equipment, Me, Jess Doolan and Sophie Dye all directed some shots, we all set up the equipment and got the film sets ready.

4.) Editing the film went quite smoothly and for me the easiest part of making the film. We had trouble with the continuity with some clips like the shot where you see the ticket floating out of the big gate at one minute exactly, we had to rewind that shot so that the ticket was going towards the camera not away from it. We had to depart from our original idea because A.) it was too long B.) We could not get the right equipment and C.) We did not have enough filming time. We chose our soundtrack carefully and we wanted to make Sean who was also the radio DJ says something that related to the song so we chose Kylie Minogue’s “I Should Be So Lucky” and then we had Sean saying “Speaking of luck I’ve just been given the lottery draw”. We got the Benny Hill theme music because we wanted the film to be fast forward and I thought about the Benny Hill programmes and when it used to get fast forward up when the blondes in bikinis chased the dirty old man known as Benny Hill.

5.) The first shot is a close up of my bum; we had this shot for the opening scene to give a sense of humour so you would feel relaxed. The next shot is a medium shot of me in the kitchen doing the washing up. We had this shot next to let you know where I am and what I am doing. The next shot is a close up of the radio so you know where the music is coming from (I Should be so Lucky by Kylie Minogue) and the voice, back to the medium shot again so you can see me grabbing the lottery ticket. Next shot is a point of view shot so you are seeing the ticket from my point of view, back to the medium shot so you can see me throwing the ticket out of the window. The next shot is a low angle looking upwards watching the ticket go out of the window with the camera outside. Back to the medium shot again so you can see me realising that I have done the wrong thing by throwing the ticket out of the window, a close up of me with my hands on my head realising I have won the lottery. Back to the medium shot in the kitchen, another medium shot but this time in the stairway, then a high angle shot watching me gong down the stairs. A medium shot of me coming out of the building and running off. The next shot is a long shot of the ticket blowing towards the camera, but originally the ticket was blowing away from the ticket so we had to rewind the clip so the ticket would blow towards the camera. Next shot is a long shot of Sophie playing the chav mother walking with her pram with the baby in it. The next shot was an overhead view of the pram showing that the ticket floating in the pram. The next shot is a long shot of Sophie dropping the blanket and trying to pick it up then I walk behind and grab the ticket. The next shot is a high angle of me grabbing the ticket out of the pram. Then it is a close up of Sophie’s face shouting at me and swearing. The next shot is me running and then stopping and putting the ticket in my pocket but I get clumsy and I accidentally drop the ticket on the floor. The next shot is a close up of me realising I have dropped the ticket. The next shot is a medium shot of Sean walking in and having a wee the next shot is me running past the camera which we had to flip round because originally I was running the other way. The next shot is a high angle of a closer view of Sean having a wee while the ticket blows into the wee, and then we have a close up of the ticket getting weed on, and then back to the medium shot of Sean finishing his wee. The next shot is a medium shot of me and Sean going past each other then it is a high angle shot of me grabbing the ticket that has just been peed on. Then you see me walk into the shot of me holding the ticket and walking into the post office and giving the ticket to Ellie who is the cashier then it is a side angle of me waiting for my money. Then in on the same shot you see Ellie pass me a ten pound note, and then a close up of my face in delight that I have won a tenner. Next shot is me running into shot then a medium shot of me running out of the shot, and finally you see me running into shot and clicking my heels. So all that running for just a tenner

improvments made 8th January 2009