What skills did you learn when you did your preliminary task and what were the weaknesses of your preliminary task?
From the preliminary task I learnt many skills which were extremely useful when it came to filming, editing, directing and planning my opening sequence.
In our prelim task we made a rough initial storyboard which included images and rough shot descriptions. However, when it came to filming, we didn't use this storyboard as much as we could have. This lead to confusion and uncertainties whether some shots were filmed or not. Also, we ended up adding and changing shot angles planned minimally. We found that when in the location with actors we discovered more shot angles which we liked, such as the eye blinking shot from straight on being the victims eyes instead of the bully's.
We learnt a lot about what shot angles were effective and how the cameras worked. We felt that the zoom in and out feature was restricted and therefore in our prelim task did not include any of these shots. We placed the camera on the floor for some closer shots of their feet walking. We loved the angle in which we did this however felt that it would've been more successful if the camera had followed the footsteps.
Furthermore, we learnt that acting is a huge part in the filming process. It took us much longer than anticipated to achieve the shots we wanted due to inexperienced actors and having to refill shots due to background disruption.
We learnt the basic skills required to edit footage on Final Cut Express, this involved how to cut clips and change their speed. But, we didn't really look into more detailed things such as transitions, sound and effects.
In our prelim, we also realised after filming that some shots were not successful, whether this was to do with jolted camerawork, actors forgetting lines or having equipment in the background of the shot. That multiple shots of the same thing should be completed in order to be safe and select the best shot. This was ensure continuity errors were minimal.
We had not really used the tripods, except from a small practice shots beforehand. Thus, when it came to our prelim task- I felt that our knowledge of this was restricted which may have lead to time being consumed quickly. This was also relevant when it came to camera use, however I felt that we picked up the features quite quickly.
Furthermore, it took us quite a while to decide on a location to record our prelim task. We felt that it didn't really matter as our piece was set in a school location- thus we didn't give much thought into the location in which we would be filming. I believe that the location we decided on in the end was effective, however again wasted time that could've been spent on filming. Thus, in our final task I believe we should pre-prepare locations and visit them prior to shooting in order to find possible angles that work well.
How have you used or developed these skills in your full task and how have you ensured that your final piece does to have the weaknesses from your prelim task?
In our final task we wanted to ensure that everything we had learnt from the prelim task would have a contingency plan ready. This meant that we planned a more detailed storyboard that we would stick to, including not only shot descriptions but angles, sound effects and transitions we wanted. Overall, in our final task we invested much more time and research into finding what would work best. This was helpful when it came to editing and filming as we knew each shot that was being filmed and where it would go.
We filmed multiple shot angles of the investigation board in order to ensure that we had enough footage of a high quality and relevant areas. This was built on the knowledge we learnt in our prelim task by having some continuity errors and unstable shots.
From our prelim, the actors found it difficult to stick to lines accurately, without distraction. Also, we felt that using dialogue made it more difficult for the actors, without any previous experience to present. We felt that in our final piece, using no dialogue would eliminate this difficultly and give it a more realistic atmosphere.
In our prelim task, props were minimal and thus we wanted to ensure that in our full task that all props used were relevant and linked to the plot. We wanted to focus on certain props in smaller sections, for example the investigation board.
In our final piece, we ensured that we visited locations prior to filming so that we could decide whether it was effective and could plan possible shot angles. Also, we wanted to make sure that all shots were smooth and without shaky parts, thus we had already experimented with the tripod to ensure that the transitions were smooth. Also, we shot multiple times to ensure that there was a higher chance of smoother footage. We pressed the start filming button and left the camera still for a moment to ensure that shots didn't begin mid-motion. Furthermore, when it came to editing, we made sure that any anomalies and jolted shots were cut out.
Furthermore, after comparing the shots from our prelim task, we decided to change the camera we used for our final piece. We felt that the shots from the prelim task were not as high quality as we would have liked. Also, as the cameras zoom in and out feature was quite jolted we felt that our piece would be more effective with a smoother zoom in and out feature. Thus we chose to use a Canon 1100D for filming our final piece.
Our team worked quite well together overall. Even at points when not all members were present for filming/editing, we were productive and completed all the work within the required time.
What have you leaned overall about practical work from doing these two tasks? What is essential to make a good practical piece?
Overall, I have learnt many new things about editing, filming, preparation and research. Beforehand, I never considered research as an essential part of creating an opening sequence. I just presumed that it was all about the use of camera skills and editing to make it successful. However, without the research and development beforehand into target audience, conventions and other examples- it would have been almost impossible to make a final sequence altogether. From the research I learnt a lot about thriller openings and conventions they hold which were used in my final piece. Also, i learnt the importance of teamwork. Even when not all members were present for planning, filming or editing- I felt that we were always productive and continued successfully no matter what.
The key points that make a good practical piece are: teamwork, research, planning, understanding of camera work/angles, having a contingency plan/back up, good time keeping and creative ideas.
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