What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?By James Lockton

Final Cut Pro X

Software was integral to our production due to our use of it to edit all our footage together. Moreover it allowed us to display certain ideologies and both stereotypical and stereotypical representations. For example the long take of our protagonist connoted his perceived dominance, a stereotypical representation of males. Whilst the dissolves connoted a more intense emotion from the character; subverting a traditional stereotype of a more unemotional man.

Final Cut Pro X (cont.)

The most useful tools in the software I found were:• Blade tool: Used to cut footage in order to

only use the needed part of a clip • Wizard Tool: Enables us to slow down

footage by choosing certain percentage playback speeds. This accentuates ideologies and certain themes, such as emphasizing the feeling of depression and loss.

• The ability to layer clips: Allowed us to highlight the depth and ferocity of the fire during one of the shots, highlighting more the protagonists troubled past

• Colour Match: Allowed us to link footage shot on different days to appear more uniform. This tool was invaluable due to weather and equipment issues effecting light and the time of day we could film.

‘Two shots of fire layered on top of each other’

‘Colour matched shots filmed on separate days’

Camera

During the production I learnt a lot about the different camera settings in order to achieve the desired effect more through the camera than later in post-production. These settings were:• White Balance: This is adjusted based on environment and comes with

pre-sets and a custom mode. It provides the image with a more realistic quality instead of a washed out appearance, enhancing its sense of verisimilitude.

• Aperture/ Iris: Gave us the ability to brighten and dim the image. Vital for achieving the correct lighting in our production which capitalises on the connotations of low key lighting and the themes associated with it.

• Manuel Focus: Another very important feature that enables us to give shots the correct depth of field ensuring the audience’s focus is on the correct area of the shot.

Camera (cont.)

While we were shooting the production I tried to use specific filming skills such as abiding by the 180 degree rule to make sure our audience was not confused whilst watching the product. Additionally is the ability of framing the shot. I struggled with this, having difficulty to adjust the camera equipment correctly to achieve the right shot.

‘180 degree rule- The object that is being filmed must always remain in the centre, while

the camera must always face towards the object.’

Lighting

I took on board many new skills. For instance the skill to choose the correct amount of light for the scene in order for it to not seem washed out. We often opted for a single light; this can create better shadows for shots to highlight his depressing nature. Using a single light also saves filming space. Something interesting I learned was about how effective natural light can be. Our best lit shot in my opinion came from the natural light of fire. We altered the size of the fire to change the exposure to the camera, demonstrating resourcefulness. Lastly is the appropriate use of the soft box to soften the light and give a sombre appearance to the shot that worked well in our production.

‘Ambient lighting from fire’

Development and Improvement

• Overall I feel I have grown in my understanding of the technologies used during the making of our production. I especially believe that my camera skills have improved as I am now able to adjust the settings to fit a variety of situations. However I still my framing can be improved upon in order to better display shot types a focus an audience’s attention. Additionally I have learned more about the ways in which lighting works and how to light a scene correctly.

‘Over the shoulder shot from preliminary task’

‘Over the shoulder shot from production