Preliminary task

Prelim task-

Main track link-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SiSy0pJ6zo

The way in which I organised myself was working with who I think will have different ideas and skills to me but also who has previously done media in the past a GCSE course. Therefore, they will have some idea and may have gained skills in the past that we could use for this task. As a group we worked very well, having some different plus similar ideas, in which we used but also didn’t use depending on its effectiveness. We made many of the decisions together, but if someone wasn’t happy with a choice we would compromise or abandon the idea altogether. However, we had to change the prelim ideas due to use of facilities and the fact that we had a short period of time to film the prelim in, making it harder to incorporate the actors in one place, at one time.

When filming the process it appeared to be very easy with not many problems, other than how to use the camera as we kept confusing buttons that actually took a picture rather than filming. Therefore, thinking we had footage when in fact we didn’t, this also took up time having to re-shoot the shots again. However, I lacked knowledge and hardly knowing how to use any of the software but now I feel very confident to use the software again on my own, as it way very straight forward and I have gained the basic skills to create a sequence. After this i felt very confident that we can create a successful opening, that covers the technical elements; but also make our own opening specific for a target audience. In contrast, we did make some mistakes of capturing the cameramen in the mirror and when using the software we deleted elements that we didn’t what to delete but we managed to successful regain the information. Therefore, we know this wont happen again as we feel more confident with the software, but to change capturing the cameraman we could watch the footage after to ensure no one is in the scene and rerecord any sequence that shows this, then using the new footage to replace this.

The experience in which I had with iMovie beforehand was limited as I had never actually used it before or actually heard of the software until I was introduced to the mac computers. However, this didn’t faze me, and with my partner I learnt very quickly how to use the software, it was actually very straight forward and we managed to use it but when we struggled we asked for help along the way. The skills in which I have learnt are transferring footage onto the macs and adding text, sound, transitions, plus cropping and pasting segments; therefore, making a continuous, smooth transition and video. However, in the future I would like to experiment with creating my own sounds and tracks that could to used and make to an artisan design of what we specifically want as the track. Therefore, making the sounds completely unique to a track we found off of YouTube that thousands of others can access.

There were many areas in which were strong but in contrast also many weak elements. The stronger elements I felt were the use of the camera including the steadiness and proportion of following rule of thirds as well as the editing smoothly transferring from one shot to the next.  When we were filming inside the camera remained focused at the character within the scene, keeping the camera in a proportion of the eye line being 2/3 of the way up in the shot. This kept the whole scene in proportion, but also within the eye line of the audience when if they were to sit and watch the prelim task. Therefore, taking the audience into account, when producing the prelim task. However, when going through the editing process when found that using the transitions helped keeping the movement of sequence in flow. This creates a professional touch and look to the scene, plus also creating fewer gaps in the scene. However, the weaker points were capturing the person when filming in the shot but also the weather conditions and working with a camera outside, for which affected the sound of the text being spoken. When at the beginning of the sequences we filmed in the toilets to show the character preparing to face rumours being spread by another. But, in the shot when they are looking into the mirror the camera work has caught the cameraman in the mirror beside the mirror in which, the main subject is looking into. Therefore, taking away the allusion of there not being a camera present. Also bringing the cameraman into the scene when in matter of fact, the cameraman has no involvement or purpose for being in the scene. In contrast, the weather also created a major problem of the wind covers the voice of the dialogue, making it virtually impossible to actually disguise what they are saying or arguing about. Therefore, making the story-line hard to follow and understand at the end of sequence, for which contrasts against the strong beginning and middle, displaying that the end lets the scene down. Although, the wind also displayed another problem of moving the camera when recording, showing an unsteadiness and lack of control over the camera, making it harder to capture the correct and desired angle. In order, to combat against this we could have used a camera stand or a dolly cam if in a more professional environment or had a much broader budget. In conclusion, the final finish to the product overall is very good, using a variety of smooth and effortless transitions. The camera work is very good with elements of unsteadiness and struggle against the weather; also having even proportions, which mainly involve the rule-the-thirds and follow the eye of the actor. From the film opening I have learnt that it’s very difficult to cut and paste elements smoothly and effectively but also the sensitivity of the camera. Overall, the prelim was successful with some minor elements taking away the success of the task. But I was very pleased with the outcome considering I had never filmed in any professional way at all before this task.