Film Conventions

Storyboarding

Storyboarding is a way to illustrate what you want to appear on screen. A film storyboard is very much like a large comic with an image to show what each scene will contain. A storyboard is essential in film making for showing visually how the events of the film will play out giving cameramen and directors a clear indication of how different scenes are to be shot.

CGI

CGI has developed massively over the years. CGI or Computer Generated Images are animations that are added into a movie to show things that would be physically impossible to create such as space battles between warships or a giant lizard smashing it's way through a city. Not all CGI are animations but can be still images to add backgrounds to a certain scene or even static images. CGI in very big in science fiction and action films as it allows directors to add elements that would be very hard or impossible to recreate in real life.

Sound Effects

Sound is a big part of any film but not just the speech plays an important role. The sound effects in a movie can turn a war battle into something captivating. Most sounds are creating using ordinary objects or sounds and mixing them and putting different effects on them in order to recreate the sound that they wanted. An example of this is the Fellbeasts from Lord of the Rings which was a donkey bellowing with effects put onto it to make it sound more terrifying.

Continuity

Continuity is very important in any film, it gives a more realistic look to the film and makes it far more believable. Continuity is ensuring that each and every scene has unchanged details in it such as dirt on the actor's face or a prop's position. Most films have minor continuity errors as scenes change due to breaks in between shootings.

Mis-en-scene

Mis-en-scene relates to the design aspect of the stage including the props, background etc. Every film has the use of mis-en-scene as every scene needs to be shot in a location. The mis-en-scene for a movie must relate to what the movie is about, for example, a sci-fi movie must contain a more futuristic or modern look in order to follow the theme of the movie.

Scriptwriting

Every movie needs a script before anything else can be done. Most scripts are not made by the director but from writers who are trying to get their film funded for creation, the scripts are created even before the movie has been confirmed to be made. A script is essential as from that all the scenes are laid out in a storyboard and gives the whole film direction. Without a script, the movie would not exist as it tells us what is happening and going to happen in a movie.