Evaluating our Preliminary Task

Amy, Nicole and I filmed and edited our preliminary task together, this was our first opportunity to work independently

on the practical side of Media Studies. This task involved creating a very short film of a conversation, and using certain techniques, such as match on action, the 180 degree rule and

shot-reverse shot.

Managing the group dynamics and collaborative nature of film-makingAs a team, we worked together well and efficiently.

We shared the roles required to produce the film fairly equally, although, as my character was on screen for the duration of most of the film I had a shorter turn than the other two in filming. However, in the editing, we were able to split the work more evenly, and assist each other if need be.

We also helped each other by running over our lines together and confirming that the actress who was about to be filmed (either myself or Amy) felt prepared and happy before hitting record.

MistakesWhilst filming, we made only made a couple significant

mistakes. The first was overstepping the 180 degree rule, but we recognised the error almost immediately and we were able to rectify it by re-filming those few seconds.

Another issue is the lighting, we had planned to use the key, filler, and back lights to give an atmosphere of film noir, but it appears we over-exposed the scene, causing it to have a washed-out appearance.

As we have all had some prior experience with regards to using editing software (albeit not with that we use at school), we didn’t make any mistakes when it came to editing.

Lighting mistakeNotice how the lighting is so bright that my facial features are barely recognisable, being unable to divulge an actor’s facial expression also takes away from the effectiveness of a film.

Managing the equipmentHaving had practical lessons

on using the cameras and the different lights, we didn’t find using the equipment a particularly difficult task. Setting up and putting away the equipment was a little more challenging, but between the three of us we handled the camera, dolly, and lights.

Managing the deadlineWe found it relatively easy to complete our

preliminary task by its deadline. We worked in two separate sessions, spending one on filming and the latter on editing. Even though we worked into our break time to complete the task, in the grand scheme of things, it did not take particularly long to do.

Health and Safety logisticsAs all our filming took place on a safe location, health

and safety wasn’t such considerable an issue in this task.

That said, we experimented with lighting, in particular using red head lights, which can heat up to really high temperatures if left on for long enough. Therefore when moving and repositioning the lights we had to be careful not to burn ourselves.

In addition, there were various wires from the equipment to be wary of when manoeuvring as there was a possibility that they could trip someone up.

Organising human resourcesActors- as the preliminary task acts as a practice for our opening title

sequence, we treated our actresses as such, even though these were the same people as those filming and editing. This meant frequently checking in on them, going through their lines with them and ensuring that they were prepared for filming before hitting record.

Costumes- Due to the fact that we were filming in school, the actresses wore their usual school clothes. Amy wore a hooded jacket and raised the hood to cause her character to seem more intimidating and I wore light coloured clothing to present me as the good character.

Props- other than a table and chairs, we did not use any props in our film. However, considering the length of film and conditions we were producing it in, the stark backdrop seemed fitting to the scenario we presented. I only wish we had noticed the school bag and folder and removed them from the room before we started filming as it is details like these that keep an amateur film from becoming professional.

Managing the cameraAs I am studying photography in

addition to Media Studies, I was already quite familiar with certain aspects of the camera, we were also given lessons on the ‘how to’ prior to this task and therefore filming was not a difficult task.

Everyone in our group had a chance to use the camera (although I had significantly less time), and we took turns when it came to the minor tasks, such as white balancing.

Managing the lightingHaving had much experience with the cameras and

editing software, but little with the lighting equipment, we decided to experiment with the lights in our preliminary task. Like the dialogue, we had planned for this to be sinister, but it didn’t work out that way. We filmed the task using two key lights, but in hindsight we know one would have been more effective. We noticed this when looking back on our recording, the whole scene was overexposed. This taught us the importance of checking how the lighting looks in the camera before shooting our opening title sequence.

How did your storyboarding and shooting script work in practice?We didn’t really create a script for this task,

however we constructed a basic idea and then improvised the dialogue to suit. What storyboarding we did do did not go to waste though.

When storyboarding we did not take into account aspects such as lights and how their positioning may or may not cause lens flare, so this was something we had to work out in practice.

Successfulness at time management

We completed our preliminary task with plenty of time to spare; completing the filming and editing within two hours, using Adobe Premier Pro.

How did digital technology enable you to develop creatively?In filming, we were able to develop our camera-related

skills through the use of various shots. Experimenting with the lighting equipment also enabled me to understand the extent of its effectiveness and therefore think more creatively with regards to how I can use it in my thriller. We also used different tools from Adobe Premier Pro to edit our task in order to create a match-on action scene and continuity within our film. In the bigger picture, this helped us get to grips with the editing software and therefore more prepared for the editing of our opening title sequence. None of the skills developed in this task will go to waste on our final piece.

In filming and editing, how did you ensure that the meaning would be apparent to the audience?

In 30 seconds of film there was a limited amount of meaning we could create. That said, the actresses used explicit body language, tones of voice and wore obvious costumes, Amy in a dark hooded jacket and myself in light colours, to present the audience with a clear understanding of who’s good and who’s bad.

Using filming and editing techniques such as match on action, shot-reverse shot, and the 180 degree rule, we ensured the continuity of the film would not be broken and that the implicit past events were apparent in the present of the film. This is how we also laid the foundations for the future and hinted it to the audience.

What type of people have you represented in your piece?Although our preliminary task is only 30 seconds

long, we represent a ‘good’ character and ‘bad’ character. Despite the seeming lack of character development, we do display some progression in the short time we had through body language, tone of voice, dialogue and costumes. We tried to represent the ‘good’ character as a middle-class figure, who began the film calm and collected, only to find themselves desperate and intimidated by the end of it. The ‘bad’ character is a loan shark of sorts.

What role do the micro elements play in the construction of verisimilitude?In this task we did not focus so much on constructing

verisimilitude. We endeavoured to create a ‘gangsta’ style realism revolving around the perils of associating with loan sharks, but due to a lack of time and facilities we were unable to create atmospheric mise-en-scene. It was really unfortunate that the lighting did not work as planned as this would have been very effective if it had. The costuming and the characters’ tones of voice in addition to the dialogue were great indications of our theme. That said, having neither Amy nor myself never had professional acting experience prior to this, our acting was not up to scratch and this also detracted from our ability to create an effective realism.

How did you manage the editing?

The editing task was a lot more straightforward than the filming (and than I anticipated). All members picked up the techniques almost instantly and all the stress of filming proved worth it.

Glossary

Match on ActionIn order to bridge parts of a scene so that it

flows continuously, one may use this editing technique. Match on action refers to a situation whereby one shot cuts to another containing a similar action as the first

And in Practice…Using match on action, we were able to cover up the fact that these shots weren’t actually take of me entering the same room.

180 Degree RuleIf filming several different

shots, of different character, this method may be used. The photographer must draw an imaginary line across the set, dividing it in two equal sections. All shots must be taken from one side of the imaginary line as switching sides breaks the scene’s continuity and is visually disturbing for the viewer.

And in Practice…Our imaginary

line was drawn from one end of the room to the other, just to the side of where the actors were sitting.

Please note that the line drawn here is an approximation only.

Shot-Reverse ShotIn a conversation between two characters, this

technique is often used. Each character is filmed saying their lines, often facing off-screen, towards where the other character would supposedly be.

In order to make this work, the characters must be shown facing opposite directions. This ensures that in the editing process the conversation appears to flow, that one character seems to be listening to the other one talking, and therefore the viewer makes the assumption that the characters are looking at each other.

And in Practice…In our film, we

used over-the-shoulder shots when filming the conversation and so both characters were constantly on-screen.