Evaluation question 7:

 Q7: Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in progression from it to the full product?

Our Preliminary task:

The Briefs

The preliminary brief was to create a:

Continuity task involving filming and editing a character opening a door, crossing a room and sitting down in a chair opposite another character, with whom she/he then exchanges a couple of lines of dialogue. This task should demonstrate match on action, shot/reverse shot and the 180° rule.

 

Our Opening sequence brief was to create:

The titles and opening of a new fiction film, to last a maximum of two minutes. All videos and audio material must be original, produced by the candidate(s), with the exception of music or audio effects from a copyright-free source.

The different briefs we were given meant our approach to the opening sequence was a lot different. The detail of the opening sequence in comparison to the preliminary task, meant we had to pre-plan the opening sequence creating shoot boards, shot list, lighting, location and camera framing.

 

Overall Production

 Doing the preliminary activity put us in the right direction of what to plan.

There are certain aspects of the production of our preliminary task that suggest a lack of planning and consideration, such as :

-The sound of the flute in the background

-Reflection of camera in mirror.

 

The way in which we progressed these aspects is by our sense of organisation.

For our opening sequence, we planned carefully what would occur in each shot by creating shoot boards and shortlists.

After our test shoots, we would plan in  very fine detail what we needed to change and how we would go about it, in order for our shoots to run as smoothly as possible and all our time to be managed productively.

This included:

-Lighting changes

-Script changes

-Shot changes

 

Looking at our shoot board you can see the alterations we made after the test shoot, under the original plan for each shot.

This eradicated any ‘mistakes’ happening again, and allowed each test shoot to develop in a way that only involved getting better. It made no room for background noise or camera’s in shot, because when it did happen in one shoot we made sure it didn't happen in the others. 

The planning we had to go into to do the opening sequence was due to the nature of the opening sequence. The preliminary task was more about experimenting with technique rather than style as a whole. This led our opening sequence to be a lot more atmospheric, style not even being something we considered for the preliminary task.  

 

 

Creating atmosphere

When comparing both videos, another thing that differentiates them from one another is the style.

Our Preliminary task focuses on continuity, and after exploring and learning about continuity such as match on action shots and master shots that it contains, it provided us with the foundation of how to create a continuous video. This then enabled us to focus more on the style of presentation.

Our main edit has a ambiance which we have created through:

• The mood lighting

• Iconography; red items such as the nail varnish and lipstick.

• Colouring, which we created through grading our shots, focusing mainly on contrast and colours such as red.

• Actions of getting ready, slow motion of application of lipstick, blusher,  the zip of her dress.

 

• Slow pace, enhanced by the soundtrack

• Mystery within the dialogue, a sense of double meaning it what she says within the final shot." Oh it will be" What exactly does she mean? Why is this finishing line emphasised in such a manner? The audience will find out these answers when they watch the rest of the film.

 

Using Technology

After comparing both the preliminary task and our main edit of Vengeance, it is clear that the main thing that stands out is the difference in quality of filming.

In our preliminary task the camera begins very shaky, and continues to be shaky throughout certain shots.

 

However although it may not seem as evident, this was also a problem in our film opening. You can see the progress of certain shots from our test shoot to our main edit, as we experimented with different ways of making the movement shots more smooth by making them less shaky.

Our final edit compared to our preliminary task, test shoot and second shoot, displays our progression with the use of the camera, and therefore the presentation of our shots.

 

Incorporating theories-180 and 30° rule. 

The preliminary task’s main focus was on presenting a piece that displayed continuity. Therefore it gave us a chance to explore the following:

-180 and 30 degree rule.

-Shot reverse shot

-Match on action

This meant we then had the knowledge to incorporate these rules and techniques into our opening sequence. 

What we learnt from the preliminary:

• Match on Action
• Continuity
• 180 and 30 degree rule 

 

 

Incorporating it into our Opening sequence:

Match on Action:

 

 

 

Continuity:

 

 

180 and 30 degree rule:

 

If I could do this project again I would:

• Have made sure to know how to use the lights properly, prior to doing our test shoot, so we could have focused on other parts of the opening sequence like movement camera shots instead of trying to work out the lighting

This would have allowed more time overall for us to shoot, meaning more time to perfect the shots instead of just trying to get them all done.

The project as a whole taught me about the foundation of putting a film/ opening sequence together and all the aspects necessary to consider. Not only did I learn the theoretical rules, but the practicality of putting all planning into practice made me more aware of all the things that need to be considered .