evaluation question seven - looking back at you preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt...

11
Evaluation question seven – Looking back at you preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression of the full project? Emma Irwin

Upload: emmairwinmedia

Post on 27-Jul-2015

19 views

Category:

Education


0 download

TRANSCRIPT

Evaluation question seven – Looking back at you preliminary task, what do

you feel you have learnt in the progression of the full project?

Emma Irwin

This is our preliminary task

Preliminary taskWhat brief were you working to?For our preliminary task before we had even begun planning for our main exercise we had to film a short video of a person walking down a corridor, crossing into a room. Then we had to edit them sitting down and have a short conversation with another character. This was very beneficial as it helped us experiment and use shots such as shot reverse shots (which included the 180˚ rule). The task was a basic continuity exercise. It had to involve match on action which we used with the close up of the hand on the door handle. As well as this, it was our first ever time of editing on professional editing software such as ‘Final cut pro,’ so we were able to learn a lot that we could incorporate into our two minute film.The 180˚ rule is where the camera can’t cross a certain point in the shot so the audience is not confused as it would cause a change in background. The picture to the right is an example.

What I knew before I started the media course

Before I had started this course, I had had little knowledge on the subject. I had used a basic video camcorder before such as ‘The Flip pocket camcorder,’ and basic editing software such as ‘Windows live movie maker.’ Over the duration of this course I was able to learn about the different shots used for what circumstances in films. Also I was able to understand how to control a professional camera, especially after we recorded over some vital footage that we took as a learning curve. Everyone in my group took turns in the editing process on ‘Final cut pro’ so we were able to learn a lot about the subject as a result of the preliminary task.

Match on action usedIn the preliminary task we had to include match on action to make it flow and look natural to the audience. We had a long shot of a character walking down a corridor and then a close up to their hand on a door handle. Then it cut to inside the room of the door opening. It was fast paced to make it look natural and the audience understood what was happening.

We used match on action shots in our two minute film also. For instance when Tom is on the suicide bridge there is a wide shot which leads to a close up with the help of match on action. Also, in the memory scene Summer puts her hand on the gazebo and spins round, there is a match on action used there also. With the help of the preliminary exercise we were able to understand how to use match on action shots correctly. As we created a ‘thriller,’ match on action shots were helpful to build the tension.

Shot reverse shots usedIn the preliminary exercise we used a shot reverse shot when the two character are having the conversation. We edited it on ‘Final cut pro’ as it was the same editing software we would use for the main task. We understood how to use shot reverse shot from the preliminary task which helped us for the two minute piece as we used a conversation in the beginning of ‘Delusion.’ We incorporated the same shots into the film such as the shot reverse shots and wide shots to create the conversation. Because we had already created a conversation in the preliminary task we understood what we needed to do in our main task.

THE PRELIMINARY TASK THE MAIN TASK

The types of camera’s we usedFor the preliminary task we used the ‘Panasonic HDC HS80,’ as it gave the film a professional look but the camera was easy to use. No one in the group had used this camera before but it was relatively easy to get used to and understand.

For the main task however, we decided to use the ‘Sony HD 1000,’ as it was a change from the camera we used in the preliminary exercise. We aimed to learn how to use different camera’s, and test to see which one was the easiest to use and film on for the full 5 minute film we will continue next year. We believed that this camera was better as it gave our film a far more professional look, the sound quality was better and we understood more about it as we spent more time on the two minute task compared to the preliminary exercise.

What else did I learn and improve on?Apart from learning how to use the shots needed in a conversation or how to use the camera, I also learnt how to produce a script for the task which was vital as it included dialogue and also the shots we needed to use and when to use them. Because we used a script for the preliminary exercise, we understood how to use it for the main task. However we did not completely stick to it for the main task as we had better ideas as a group when it came to actually film it. If there was any room for improvement in the production process, then it would be to stick completely to the script next time.

I also learnt how to use the editing software, ‘Final cut pro.’ I had never used it before the preliminary task, so when it came around to editing our full two minute film, everyone in my group understood what we had to do and we didn’t have to waste time in figuring out how do edit certain things like we did for the preliminary exercise.

How we could have improved the preliminary task

The preliminary task was a basic continuity exercise to show the skills we had learnt, and to put those to practice. It was also good practice for the two minute film. We could have improved our preliminary exercise by using better equipment – such as the camera used in our two minute film. Our film ‘Delusion’ is of better standards compared to our preliminary task as we had more time to plan it and incorporated more ideas in the editing side of things such as the music and sounds we used. Therefore, if we had more time to plan our preliminary exercise again, I believe it could be better. Also, in some footage of our main task (the two minute introduction to a film), we broke the 180˚ rule. We took it once again as a learning curve; we thought it was best not to use that particular footage, and made sure that we did not break the rule again.We also picked up some new skills from the preliminary exercise that we could incorporate into our film. As I’ve already said, we used a conversation in our film which we took from the preliminary exercise as we already understood how to film and edit it. In ‘Delusion’ however we also included a graphic match for example – which we took the ideas from ‘Psycho’ as that film is a thriller like ours and we believed that the audience would be able to make comparisons to our film and Hitchcock’s film. We had already used wide/long shots in the preliminary exercise therefore we used them again in the two minute film. But we still incorporated new shots into our piece such as high angle shots for instance to represent power and how the protagonist felt.

The comparison between the twoFirst of all, we used a wider variety in shots in our main task compared to the preliminary exercise. This made our film look more professional. However, because of the preliminary exercise we understood to film and edit match on action shots, shot reverse shots etc. To add to this, we understood how to edit the film for the main task after we had filmed it as we had already used ‘Final cut’ previously when editing. This was helpful in the production process of ‘Delusion’ as we didn’t have to spend as much time concentrating on how to use the editing software. In ‘Delusion’ also, we used sound effects and music to build tension as our film was a thriller. We did not use any music in the preliminary task. If we were able to do the preliminary task again, it might be something that we would look into. We spent a lot more time on the main task in comparison to the preliminary task and more preparation time went into it, which made our main task look more professional.

Our end product for the main task