Preliminary Task 1 : Research

My partner and I will be recreating a school fight scene. We plan draw inspiration from a specific movie – Fist Fight and specific Netflix original – 13 Reasons Why.

Fist Fight(2017)

Directed By Richard Keen

In this scene, the two main characters, Campbell and Strickland who are school teachers, are squared up face to face before getting into a fist fight outside the school. They are surrounded by the whole student body plus teachers. The fight goes back and fourth between the 2 but eventually Strickland knocks Campbell out. The film techniques work together to show the power struggle in the fight and the emotions of the characters

Over The Shoulder

Campbell and Strickland are squared up face to face and Campbell then punches Strickland in the face. This shot focuses the attention on Strickland’s emotion after just being punched

Low Angle

The fight continues and there is a power struggle between the two. Strickland starts to win and he begins to continuously punch Campbell on his back. The camera zooms in at a low angle to show Strickland delivering the body blows and it shows that he is the one in control.

Medium Close Up

The camera zooms into Strickland’s face after just being hit in the side of the leg with an open stapler. By zooming in, the attention is focused on Strickland’s emotion without being uncomfortably close.

Canted Angle

Campbell is being spun around in circles by Strickland with a tennis racket. The camera is tilted at an angle to portray the effect of disorientation by Campbell.

13 Reasons Why (2017)

Developed by Brian Yorkey

In this scene, the character Alex is crossing the road along with other students to enter his high school when he is almost hit by Montgomery in his Jeep. Alex is enraged by this and demands for him to get out so they can fight. Alex pushes Montgomery and a fight breaks out.

Over the Shoulder

Alex and Montgomery are fighting in the middle of the crowd when Clay, a main character, walks up to the fight. The shot is taken from over his shoulder to focus the attention on the fight but from his point of view.

Medium Shot

Alex has just dropped his bag after almost being hit. He is getting ready to walk up to Montgomery’s car full of rage. This shot focuses the attention on his emotion from a natural distance.

Two Shot

In this shot, Alex and Montgomery are squared up face to face in the middle of the crowd. The camera zooms in to focus the attention on the confrontation between the two and it establishes tension right before the fight.

Low Angle

Alex has just been punched in the face by Montgomery after he just shoved him. Alex realizes he is bleeding and becomes even more enraged. The camera zooms in at a low angle to capture the angry emotion on his face and he seems powerful in the shot because this is the turning point in the fight for Alex.

Closing

I plan to use these conventions to re-make a school fight scene because they are the most common used to capture all the important details. I noticed that both film examples used some of the same film conventions.