There are 2 scenes in the film 'Shaun of the Dead' that are a perfect example of what we need to do in this project, so I created a short video including the scenes as part of my research.
Full size and quality download here: (right click, save link as quicktime movie)
http://www.alisterbuss.co.uk/shaunresearchfull.mov
Clip #1:
In the first clip you see the main character getting ready for work. This is shown through a very tightly cut sequence where he pulls the zip on his trousers down, pulling the lever on the toilet to flush it, the water flushing down the toilet, brushing his teeth, washing his hands and finally adjusting his shirt.
The shots are very dramatic. For example, when he is brushing his teeth he has his mouth wide open with his jaw fully clenched so you get a very clear view of his teeth and the close-up angle adds a certain gritty look to it and makes brushing teeth look more dramatic.
This all takes place over 3 seconds, which is a very short amount of time. Not all of each process is shown fully, only the most important parts for dramatic effect. All of the shots are close-ups but they all contain a small amount of zooming across the half second they are on screen which means that it not only starts with a close-up but gets even closer.
There are some subtle but dramatic 'swoosh' type sound effects often found in movie trailers that accompany the zoom, as well as over exaggerated sound effects of what is going on. Most of it is the sound you would expect to hear but amplified much louder to make it more dramatic and to emphasise the activity, given that it is only on screen for less than a second it is important to establish what is going on and the sound is really the key to that as the visual portion is so fast.
Clip #2:
The second clip is very much the same except that he is making himself some toast and a cup of tea. First you see him open the cutlery drawer and pull out a knife, next you see him spreading jam on to some toast with that knife, then tapping a spoon on the top of a cup after stirring the tea and finally placing the milk in the fridge and slamming the door.
The spreading of the jam on the toast is the most impressive part of this sequence, as it's a good close-up and the sound is the best part. The sound is very load and is very rough, like the knife was being scrapped against gravel which adds extra drama to making toast.
Again, this takes place over 3 seconds and not everything is shown (for instance you don't see the toast being made just the jam being spread). The zooming continues here and everything else is in the same style as the first 3 second sequence. The same swooshing sounds are used as well as the amplified sounds of the objects in the scene.
Both of these 3 second sequences are fast paced and loud, giving a sense of drama and urgency in otherwise mundane, everyday tasks which is exactly what we will be doing with our projects.
