Dogme 95, set of rules

After doing some research into the filming style of our thriller we came accros some rules which were set out by filming studio Dogme 95 this is because many of the scenes they shoot are similar to ours, they say that if you use the rules you'll have an effective scene.

The Ten Rules
The Vow of Chastity

"I swear to submit to the following set of rules drawn up and confirmed by DOGMA 95:

1. Shooting must be done on location. Props and sets must not be brought in (if a particular prop is necessary for the story, a location must be chosen where this prop is to be found).

2. The sound must never be produced apart from the images or vice versa. (Music must not be used unless it occurs where the scene is being shot).

3. The camera must be hand-held. Any movement or immobility attainable in the hand is permitted. (The film must not take place where the camera is standing; shooting must take place where the film takes place).

4. The film must be in colour. Special lighting is not acceptable. (If there is too little light for exposure the scene must be cut or a single lamp be attached to the camera).

5. Optical work and filters are forbidden.

6. The film must not contain superficial action. (Murders, weapons, etc. must not occur.)

7. Temporal and geographical alienation are forbidden. (That is to say that the film takes place here and now.)

8. Genre movies are not acceptable.

9. The film format must be Academy 35 mm.

10. The director must not be credited.
Furthermore I swear as a director to refrain from personal taste! I am no longer an artist. I swear to refrain from creating a “work”, as I regard the instant as more important than the whole. My supreme goal is to force the truth out of my characters and settings. I swear to do so by all the means available and at the cost of any good taste and any aesthetic considerations.

Thus I make my VOW OF CHASTITY"

The above writing is taken from a website we found that quotes Lars Von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg who worked for Dogma 95.

In our film we will try to keep to as many of these rules as we can to create an effective and powering film.

http://cinetext.philo.at/reports/dogme_ct.html

First Anamatic

This is the first copy of our animatic it is reasonably accurate to our short list but still needs some editing.

Final shot list and ideas

Here is our current Shot list for our film

1. Criminal entering the house.

2. POV of the criminal looking around.
3. Shot of home owner waking up after hearing a noise downstairs.
4. Homeowner walking down the stairs with a weapon.
5. Close Up of homeowner stopping on the stairs with a frightened expression after hearing that someone is in his house. (noises coming from the next room)
6. Pan of homeowner continuing down the stairs and entering the living room.
7. POV of homeowner looking around the room (heavy Breathing, building tension)
8. Long shot of living room showing homeowner and criminal seeing each other for the first time.
9. (shot) CU of criminal.
10. (Reverse) CU of homeowner.
11. (shot) CU criminal
12. Long shot of criminal running through the living room and past the homeowner, pushing him over, and running out the front door.
13. Long shot of front door opening with the criminal running out and the homeowner following.
14. POV of criminal running down the road.
15. POV of homeowner following the criminal.
16. Pan of the chase down the road, towards the alley.
17. Track of the chase down the road.
18. Long shot of the alley opening, with the criminal entering, followed by the homeowner.
19. POV of criminal running down the alley.
20. POV of H.O chasing the crim. down the alley.
21. Back to POV of criminal.
22. POV of homeowner.
23. Homeowner turn the corner and the criminal is gone. Cuts to black with the title on screen.

Idea Mind Maps

This is the Location Mind Map created during a lesson

This is the Production Company Name ideas which was made in class.

This is the Names Mind Map which again was made in class.

We did the Mind Maps to explore the possibilities with our film.

Class comments - Continutiy Task

The sound was very basic and needed the levels mastered better, but the introduction of non-diegetic sound was very effective. The shot reverse shot was well framed and well edited. The mid shot was poorly framed. A variety of shots was picked up on but so did the issues with continuity.
Our Targets are

1. Improve framing
2. Improve the rate of continuity by adding more shots
3. Practise camera movements

Our continuity task achieved level two at 30/60.

Continuity Task

Practise Filming

Charlie, Steven and I have been out practising with the cameras and tripod. We were told to get a variety of shots whilst out filming.


ECU, CU, Panning, Tracking, ELS, LS, MS, LA, HA, BEV and more which weren’t needed as much as the above.

I think we did well as we all managed to get an example of each one, I think what also helped was that we knew what we had to do and we all worked together to get the shots needed.