Thursday, 13 March 2014

Evaluation Task 7: Looking back at your preliminary task what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

Over the course of the academic year I have learnt a range of different skills that enabled  the opportunity to produce our final thriller opening sequence. Alongside our inspiration for the sequence and access to more resources, the skills I have learnt for the filming and editing processes have meant that I have come along way. 

The actual shooting day took a lot more planning than expected. We created a timetable for the day, a shot list and a script, which are only a few examples. This level of organisation meant that my group used the most of our time being productive. We learnt that it was important to have too much footage, rather than too little because in the editing process you may want to change your ideas, which is what we definitely found to be true. Whereas for the preliminary task we were given the task and shot it all in one, one hour session, so it took no planning at all. 

Prelim Set

Thriller Set

When shooting the sequence we were not restricted about what shots we could include and we were able to experiment with our shot list. When shooting our preliminary task we were given a set number of shots that we had to include, and afterwards we could add other shots. When going through the script of the thriller sequence we highlighted moments where  we could use possible shots. Originally we going to use an over the shoulder shot to show the girl looking in the mirror with the inspector's hat on, instead we used a pan. Using a wider variety of shots added to the detail of the sequence and made it more interesting to watch. A pan shot also turned out to be one of the most difficult shots of the day because it was important to have a steady hand and to keep everything in focus all the time. It took a few takes to get that shot right in the end. 

We learnt that it is important to always dress the shot appropriately. It makes it more clear to the audience where the location is and adds to the realism of the sequence. My group had only planned the desk in the office of the police station to have only a computer and the investigation file. However, this was too bare so we collected more equipment from all over the college, such as files and paper and other stationary. For the prelim we used the location of our classroom and we used no props. 


During the editing process I learnt about adding non-diegetic sound, credits and transitions. For both the preliminary task and the opening sequence we used the non linear editing software, Final Cut Pro. When editing the preliminary task my group grabbed the basic skills of the software, which made the process of editing the opening sequence a lot easier. The hardest part about the process was the sound. It was important to always make sure there were no gaps in the sound, and the most challenging task I had to do was make sure a sound clip was in time with another shot.
 

Overall, the level of intensity from the preliminary task and the final opening sequence increased. And the skills learnt over the process are clear from the opening sequence. Both tasks can be found below from YouTube. 

Preliminary Task 




Thriller Opening Sequence


Wednesday, 12 March 2014

Evaluation Task 6: What have you learnt about Digital technologies?

To shoot our thriller we used the semi professional camera Sony NX5. We were taught how to handle this camera and learnt the basics when we first produced our prelim task, so when we shot our thriller my group felt pretty confident. These cameras enabled us to have extreme close up shots and wide, establishing shots, without having to change the lens. One of the many challenges we faced when using the camera was focusing the shot, the instructions are as follows: zoom in as far as you can on a white space, press the white balance button and pull out and frame the shot.

After the shoot we took our rushes and transferred them onto a Mac computer in the editing suite, just above the filming studio, which is an example of technology convergence. Once the rushes were uploaded to the Mac were able to open them up using the Non Linear Editing Software, Final Cut Pro. We firstly organised the rushes into two bins, the rush bin and the log bin . As we labelled the shots we determined which shots we were not going to use and which shots we were and putting them into the log bin. We never deleted any footage because we never knew if we were going to need it later on in the process. Once I learnt all the keyboard shortcuts, editing came to me a lot easier.


A screenshot to show how we produced the annotations onto our YouTube Video
Link to the YouTube video, including annotations

By using digital media technologies I have used technological convergence to ensure that I have produced a successful film opening sequence. This has made me a prosumer, a creator of media products to a near professional standard.  The use of Final cut pro as a piece of editing software has taught me how to select and organise a music video to a very high standard using semi-professional  media equipment.  I have also been able to share ideas and research global and industry standard products. Digital technology has made available to me opportunities to upload, share and distribute my products using YouTube as a free online broadcast platform. It is also interactive – audiences have been able to leave feedback, like and comment on my products using features such as  the like button on YouTube. These new skills learned on this course have enabled to gain experience not only as a user of digital technology, but also to also become a producer – important to an understanding of the media in an online age.

Monday, 10 March 2014

Evaluation Task 5: How we attracted our audience through our opening sequence.


Key points:
  • Our mode of address is by making our audience feel awkward, especially when the girl teases the inspector. We intend for the audience to want to know more about the girl's story through her ambiguity and mysteriousness.
  • The audience is caught by surprise the sudden twist in the atmosphere as the girl touches the investigator’s hand. Our unique selling point is that our main character doesn’t like to obey by the rules and will do anything to have the most power in the room.
  • Narrative destination of the girl is through the power rivalry between the inspector and the girl, in which we feel the girl wins because she has the last word.