RM - PRELIM: Coursework

Preliminary Exercise.

Continuity task involving filming and editing a character opening a door, crossing a room and sitting down in a chair opposite another character, with whom she/he then exchanges a couple of lines of dialogue. This task should demonstrate match on action, shot/reverse shot and the 180-degree rule.

Match on Action.

A match on action is a technique used in film editing. It is a cut that connects two different views of the same action at the same moment. This is done by carefully matching the movement done in both shots; this is to make it seem that the motion continues uninterrupted.

Shot/Reverse shot.

Shot reverse shot is a film technique where one character is shown looking at another character (often off screen), and then the other character is shown looking back at the first character. With the characters facing opposite directions, the audience assumes the two characters are looking at each other.

180-degree rule.

The 180-degree rule is a basic guideline to film making. It states that if there are two characters or elements in the same scene they should always have the same relationship as the first shot. However if the camera passes the imaginary axis connecting the two subjects, this is called crossing the line. This new shot is known as a reverse angle.