My Prelim Evaluation

My Prelim Evaluation

1. Who did you work with and how did you manage the task between you?

My group consisted of Meera Hugh and Laith, three other students in my media studies class. Meera and I worked together during the editing process, whilst also directing and filming, whereas Laith and Hugh mainly took part in the acting and pre-production process.

Hugh as 'The Teacher' and Laith as 'the Student'

      My Group

Meera and I directed most of the shots, roughly sharing an equal amount between us with Hugh directing all of the shots that did not include his character however, as Laith had to appear in every take he did not have a chance to direct. This meant that he had a stronger role during the pre-production process. Overall our group dynamic worked extremely well with everyone attempting to experience all the aspects of producing the prelim. 

2. How did you plan it? What processes did you use? What theories did you take into account? 

Firstly, our group devised a rough plan through discussion and note taking- this included deciding a simple narrative and assigning characters and roles such as who would direct or film.

Then, to visualise the project whilst determining what shot types would be used and the amount of shots etc. we created a storyboard with each colour representing a different shot type;

After this we worked on our script which was the dialogue between the teacher and student characters, this helped us determine what shots included dialogue;

The storyboard 

Script

Due to some improvisation during filming the script  and storyboard were not followed specifically meaning that we were unsure of what shots included dialogue. Therefore we had to cut a reverse shot and a two shot due to a miss-match of dialogue and the fact that the conversation between Hugh and Laith's characters would have been two quick to fill all of the shots planned. However we did this well in our group and our project was not majorly disrupted at all.

During the pre production process we took some narrative theories into account, one being Todorov's theory. This was roughly followed with the Equilibrium being 'The Student' walking to class, the disequilibrium being 'The Teacher' ripping up his homework and the re-equilibrium being 'The Students' excuse and 'The Teachers' facial expression.

                                 

Whilst filming our group took the 180 degree rule into account, the 30 degree rule, the shot/ reverse shot rule the match on action rule, these were the demands of the brief. When editing we focused on the continuity of the shots.

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Camera Legria HFG30, Canon DM-100 Directional Microphone, headphones

3.What technology did you use and how did you use it?

The technology used;

1. Camera Legria HFG30
2. Libec TH-650 HD Tripod
3. Benq Computer
4. Canon DM-100 Directional Microphone
5. Headphones 

Whilst filming we used a camera that our group was familiar with from previous projects with a microphone attached to it that was adjustable and lightweight ,which meant that we could keep an eye on the dialogue and the clarity of the sound through our headphones at the time. This was very useful as it saved us time. The tripod helped in terms of practicality and the mobility of the shoot and the computers were used to edit. We used a clapperboard and shoot script which helped us in the editing process in terms of organising and renaming shots. 

clapperboard

To edit we used Adobe Premier located on the computers in the edit suite, firstly after uploading all of the shots, we renamed the shots that were successful to us  (e.g shot 3 take 5) and that were to be included in the final edit. Then, we cut the files into the desired shot length using the razor tool and ordered them according to the storyboard. We 'snapped' them to make sure that there were no jump cuts whilst making sure that the shots were placed on alternate tracks, again our aim to achieve continuity. Once the edit was as finished visually, we focused on doing the same with the sound- Meera and I cut the sound in shot 3 as it did not match the action in the shot, this was done by 'separating' the sound from the shot and cutting it. 

Adobe Premier 

4. What factors did you have to take into account when planning, shooting and editing?

There were some limitations on our group during this project including; time, budget, costumes, location, and schedule. As the task had a time limit this meant that our group had to be very organised, this resulted in lunch time meetings and a strict schedule to make sure that every character had the corrects props and costumes in order to make shooting as swift as possible. As well as this, our group negotiated with the other group filming so that we had the same location at different times without disruption.

To make sure that we had enough space in our location ( a classroom ) in order to get the desired shots, our group created a 'top down plan' which included moving tables and chairs this allowed us to be aware of the space available;

Top down plan

The fact that we were shooting in a school meant that we had to be aware of sound and other disruptions, for example the school bell could ruin our dialogue and surrounding noise of commuting students and teachers could have also ruined our sound.

The costume for the teacher was made available to us by the Media department and the homework prop was photocopied before hand with spares available for extra takes.

Costume

Both Meera and I had never used Adobe Premier before, this meant that a short amount of time was used to become familiar with the software before editing. Overall all of the planning and thought put into every aspect of pre-production, shooting and editing meant that all of the time limits were met and we finished our prelim.

5. How Successful was your sequence and in hindsight, what would you improve/ do differently?

Our prelim task was to film a short sequence including a person walking into a room, sitting down and exchanging dialogue with somebody else, which we have achieved. However there were some demands in the brief which were to be met, these were the 30 degree rule, to include shot-reverse shots and finally achieve match on action during editing and filming which our group has also been successful in achieving. We also included some extra principles of continuity that were met such as the 180 degree rule. This makes our prelim technically successful. 

The 180 degree rule: This was not once broken due to the fact that the positioning of the camera was previously decided. This was important as if this was broken the audience may become confused in terms of the location.

The 30 degree rule: We met this through the establishing shot showing 'The Student' walking across the room to meet 'The Teacher', the was a good way in meeting this rule as the camera panned to follow the character and the shot did not seem 'forced' simply to meet the brief. 

Match on action: An example of this is in the shot showing 'The Teacher' receiving the homework after 'The Student' character has passed it in the previous shot. This is also done after 'The Teacher' rips the homework and then in the next shot lowers is arms.

Shot reverse shots: Shots 8,9,10 and 11 are OTS shot/ reverse shots showing the conversation between both characters. These shots were filmed as one and then cut into shot/reverse shots during the editing period by Meera and I.

In hindsight, there were some aspects of the final edit that did not seem to flow, and some simple mistakes were made...

For example in the opening shot it is as if Laith appears out of 'nowhere' due to the fact that he does not enter from the door behind him. In hindsight, we would have had his character walk through the door;

Opening Shot

As well as this, during the first shot he is shown to reach for the door handle with his left hand, yet in the next shot he opens it with his right which is not a match on action transition and would not happen in hindsight.

Some simple mistakes that we made included forgetting to write the take number on the clapperboard, and the moving of objects in certain shots such as the shot after 'The Teacher' rips up the homework where a pen that was not there before 'appears' in his hand. In hindsight i believe paying attention to the minute details would have just improved the prestige on the shot clip.

6. What have you learnt/How will this learning be significant when completing the rest of the foundation coursework? 

From this project I have learnt the foundation skills needed in order to organise, film and edit a short clip. The pre production process helped mainly with my organisation, team and management skills due to the restrictions (location, budget, timing) and the independent factor of the prelim. The process of story boarding, producing top down plans, scripts and shoot schedules made me familiar with a professional pre production process and will help me massively in terms of my future coursework at AS.

The filming process was a great learning experience for my group and I as it allowed us to find our own methods and develop our technical skills when using the camera. As well as this it made me familiar with the shoot script process when I was in the role of director and how to film specific shots such as a medium shot that pans left.

My experience with editing developed my technical skills when using Adobe Premier; this is very helpful as it is the software used in my current media department and it is also the programme that I will be expected to use in future projects.

Overall the preliminary task has helped me grasp an understanding of what goes into pre production, filming and editing whilst also allowing me to learn from mistakes made in the project to set goals for myself for future projects such as the main project started after this term where I am expected to produce a two minute film opening.

  

My Prelim Evaluation

Continuity Preliminary Task- An Evaluation

Who did you work with and how did you manage the task between you?

My group consisted of Meera Hugh and Laith, three other students in my media studies class. Meera and I worked together during the editing process, whilst also directing and filming, whereas Laith and Hugh mainly took part in the acting and pre-production process.

Hugh as 'The Teacher' and Laith as 'the Student'

(Insert picture of Meera Hugh and I editing/filming e.g clipper boards with our names on)

Meera, and I directed most of the shots, roughly sharing an equal amount between us with Hugh directing all of the shots that did not include his character however as Laith had to appear in every take he did not have a chance to direct. This meant that he had a stronger role during the pre-production process. Overall out group dynamic worked extremely well with everyone attempting to experience all the aspects of producing a piece of film. 

How did you plan it? What processes did you use? What theories did you take into account? 

Firstly, our group devised a rough plan through discussion and note taking- this included deciding a rough narrative and assigning characters and roles such as who would direct or film.

 Then, to visualize the project whilst determining what shot types would be used and the amount of shots etc. we created a storyboard with each colour representing a different shot type;

The storyboard 

After this we worked on our script which was the dialogue between the teacher and student characters;

Script

Due to some improvisation during filming the script  and storyboard was not followed specifically meaning that we were unsure of what shots included dialogue. Therefore we had to cut a reverse shot and a two shot due to a miss-match of dialogue and the fact that the shots would have been two quick to fill all of the shots planned. However we did this well in our group and our project was not majorly disrupted at all.

During the pre production process we took some narrative theories into account, one being Todorov's theory. This was roughly followed with the Equilibrium being 'The Student' walking to class, the disequilibrium being 'The Teacher' ripping up his homework and the re-equilibrium being 'The Students' excuse and 'The Teachers' facial expression. 

Whilst filming our group took the 180  ˚   rule into account, the 30 ˚    rule, the shot/ reverse shot rule the match on action rule, these were the demands of the brief. When editing we focused on the continuity of the shots.

.

What technology did you use and how did you use it?

The technology used;

1. Camera 
2. Tripod
3. Computers
4. Microphone
5. Headphones 

Whilst filming we used a camera that our group was familiar with from previous projects with a microphone attached to it that was adjustable and lightweight ,which meant that we could keep an eye on the dialogue and the clarity of the sound through our headphones at the time. This was very useful as it saved us time. The tripod helped in terms of practicality and the mobility of the shoot and the computers were used to edit. We used a clapperboard and shoot script which helped us in the editing process in terms of organizing and renaming shots. 

clapperboard

To edit we used DOB premier located on the computers in the edit suite, firstly after uploading all of the shots, we renamed the shots that were successful to us  (e.g shot 3 take 5) and that were to be included in the final edit. Then, we cut the files into the desired shot length using the razor tool and ordered them according to the storyboard. We 'snapped' them to make sure that there were no jump cuts whilst making sure that the shots were placed on alternate tracks, again an aim to create continuity. Once the edit was as finished visually, we focused on doing the same with the sound- Meera and I cut the sound in shot 3 as it did not match the action in the shot, this is done by 'separating' the sound from the shot and cutting it. 

DOB Premier 

What factors did you have to take into account when planning, shooting and editing?

There were some limitations on our group during this project including; Time, Budget, Costumes, Location, and Schedule. As the task had a time limit this meant that our group had to be very organised, this resulted in lunch time meetings and a strict schedule to make sure that every character had the corrects props and costumes in order to make shooting as swift as possible. As well as this, our group negotiated with the other group filming so that we had the same location at different times without disruption.

To make sure that we had enough space in our location ( a classroom ) in order to get the desired shots, our group created a 'top down plan' which included moving tables and chairs;

Top down plan

The fact that we were shooting in a school meant that we had to be aware of sound and other disruptions, for example the school bell could ruin our dialogue and surrounding noise of commuting students and teachers could have also ruined our sound.

The costume for the teacher was made available to us by the Media department and the homework prop was photocopied before hand with spares available for extra takes.

Costume

Both Meera and i had never used Dob Premier before, this meant that a short amount of time was used to become familiar with the software before editing. Overall all of the planning and thought put into every aspect of pre-production, shooting and editing meant that all of the time limits were met and we finished our prelim. 

How Successful was your sequence and in hindsight, what would you improve/ do differently?

I feel as if our prelim task has met all of the demands of the brief, including the three principles of continuity required by the brief and is therefore quite

successful...

The 180  ˚   rule: This was not once broken due to the fact that the positioning of the camera was previously decided. This was important as if this was broken the audience may become confused in terms of the location.

The 30  ˚   rule: We met this through the establishing shot showing 'The Student' walking across the room to meet 'The Teacher', the was a good way in meeting this rule as the camera panned to follow the character and the shot did not seem 'forced' simply to meet the brief. 

Match on action: An example of this is in the shot showing 'The Teacher' receiving the homework after 'The Student' character has passed it in the previous shot. This is also done after 'The Teacher' rips the homework and then in the next shot lowers is arms.

Shot reverse shots: Shots 8,9,10 and 11 are OTS shot/ reverse shots showing the conversation between both characters. These shots were filmed as one and then cut into shot/reverse shots during the editing period by Meera and I.

In hindsight, there were some aspects of the final edit that did not seem to flow, and some simple mistakes were made...

For example in the opening shot it is as if Laith appears out of 'no where' due to the fact that he does not enter from the door behind him. In hindsight, we would have had his character walk through the door;

Opening shot

As well as this, during the first shot he is shown to reach for the door handle with his left hand, yet in the next shot he opens it with his right which is not a match on action transition and would not happen in hindsight.

 

Some simple mistakes that we made included forgetting to write the take number on the clapperboard, and the moving of objects in certain shots such as the shot after 'The Teacher' rips up the homework where a pen that was not there before 'appears' in his hand. In hindsight i believe paying attention to the minute details would have just improved the prestige on the shot clip.

What have you learnt/How will this learning be significant when completing the rest of the foundation coursework? 

HW4b - Revise for your written assesment (DYM)

HW4a - Plan your Prelim Video (BLK)

HW 3b - Existing continuity sequence analysis

Narnia The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe

Continuity is achieved in this scene mainly because of the camera shots being very well matched with the atmosphere that the narrative creates. The first shot, which also happens to be the establishing shot, (all of the main characters in frame and the narrative briefly explained) pans up to reveal the situation. After this at 0:13 the music starts as the children begin to run, building up tension and anticipation whilst the shots constantly cut from medium/close ups of the children's running feet. Not once does the camera break the 180 degree rule, which adds to the continuity of the scene.

The 'seamless' editing effect is achieved through a variety of shots that are diverse enough so that the characters aren't seen to 'jump' to different positions between takes.

As soon as the children enter the wardrobe a crab shot follows them in a low close up in order to create mystery, and allow the audience to experience their situation in the same way that they are. When they arrive in Narnia the shots are wide again as they are in  bigger space, this creates a narrative flow as when locations are changed the shots are also changed to suit the surroundings/set. Overall this sequence is a great representation of continuity as the shots, music and editing has been paired with the narrative.

HW 3a - Continuity task evaluation

 12 B, Group 1, Accident

The aims of the task set for our group were to convey continuity through six shots, including an accident in half an hour. We chose to film a simple and understandable narrative which was an accident including a boy (Ray) and a girl (Me) , in order to focus on achieving a narrative flow.

 The first shot introduces the characters and pans to follow them whilst the boy is listening to music and the girl is consumed by what she is reading - both characters are quite oblivious to their surroundings. Therefore when the boys headphones suddenly become unplugged after her has gone through the door in shot number three (over the shoulder medium close up), the girl doesn't realise and inevitably pushes the door into him causing him to bounce off of the wall and become slightly dazed (final shot, low close up). This project therefore successfully met the targets of presenting an accident in six shots.

Our group attempted to create narrative flow, through trying to keep the characters in the same positioning after each shot and not breaking the 180 degree camera shot rule. As well as this shots were not varied too much as this may confuse the audience and break the narrative flow.

However as this was our first filming task, and the fact that we only had 30 minuets without a storyboard made this difficult to achieve. Between each shot there is a 'jolt' as the characters are not positioned in the same place and the shots are too similar (mainly medium shots). as well as this during shot three my character actually sees Rays character through the glass windows in the door, which is not a realistic situation for an 'accident'.

 We did not achieve full continuity so in hindsight a storyboard may have made this task easier because we could visualise the shots during the pre-production period. finally to improve this task further I believe our group should have included diegetic dialogue between characters (especially from shot 4 onwards) to improve the clarity of out narrative.

HW 2c - Sound in Film Openings

Inception.

Dialogue: The dialogue in Inception gives the audience the background story of the 'dream world' and Cobb's (Leonardo DiCaprio's character) situation prior to future events soon to be seen by the audience. As the narrative is very complex dialogue is used as an explanation, an example of this is the non-diegetic voice over by Leonardo DiCaprio, whilst introducing all of the main characters.

Sound effects: The only sound effects featured are during the scenes where the 'dream' is collapsing and the rebels are attacking the premises where Cobb is in the dream state. This is very effective in creating suspense very early on into the film, setting the tone for the genre of the film and the future narrative. The Juxtaposition between Cobb sleeping, a watch ticking and an explosion at 1:53 is a perfect example of this.

Music track: The music is non-diegetic and is from the Hanz Zimmer soundtrack for inception. The same music is always played when a dream is collapsing, this again creates suspense.

Sound is used in Inception to give some context of the narrative to the audience before the film begins, to create suspense, give the audience an idea of the genre. This is a very effective opening sequence as the audience already has an idea of the narrative before main events, as the story line is very complex.

Hw 2b - Analysis of titiles in Film Openings

Breakfast at Tiffanys.

The titles in Breakfast at Tiffanys run from 0:45 - 2:36 starting with the female protagonist Audrey Hepburn possibly for legal reasons followed by; the male protagonist George Peppard, the title of the film, the production company other cast members, the novel, the production team (e.g lighting, editing, music) and finally the Director.

The titles are always placed in a blank space in order not to draw the audiences attention away from the sequence, the colour matches the lighting during that time of day, and each title fades away softly. The titles are continuous throughout with some pauses.
The fact that the titles follow a colour scheme, yet are still quite bold visually is perfect for the opening sequence as they are neither too harsh or too bland. The audience will acknowledge the names of the cast etc. yet also be able to focus on the current events in the scene.

                                             

Harry Potter and The Sorcerers Stone.

Harry potter does not have the 'conventional titles' that are seen in Breakfast at Tiffanys, however it does reveal one of the main locations in the film (Privet Drive) and five of the main characters including Harry Potter himself whilst providing the audience with some context. The only titles shown are the production companies before the sequence from 0:00-0:14, and The film title (Harry Potter and The Sorcerers Stone) from 4:01-4:10. 

 

The titles are placed at the beginning and end of the sequence, but they are not included in the shots and are in fact animations. This is probably because of the significance of the storyline compared to the significance of the titles at this point in time.

Comparisons

Breakfast at Tiffanys and Harry Potter and The Sorcerers Stone were made exactly 40 years apart and have a very different approach to their titles. Breakfast at Tiffanys takes a more classical approach, with the main protagonists appearing first and the rest of the titles following in order of status/importance with the director at the End for significance. Harry potter howver does not give these details during the opening sequence and uses mordern animation that would not be availibe during the 60's. The titles are also very different due to the genre and type of films, Harry Potter is a series of films and Breakfast at Tiffanys is seen as a classical indivdual film. Therefore each Harry Potter film has similar credits yet Breakfast at Tiffanys has only got one chance to display the titles.

A timeline of Titles

HW 2a - Existing Opening Sequence analysis

Grease Opening scene.

Grease is a essentially a musical hybrid as it also has aspects of a teen drama/ romantic comedy. The story takes place at a high school, yet the opening scene is showing the two main characters Sandy and Johnny during their summer holidays and summer romance, which sets the tone for the film.

 

Firstly, the production company is shown (Paramount), then the shot cuts straight into various views of the ocean at medium and long shots, as the sun sets which creates a romantic feel for the audience. This is then supported by the 'fairy-tale' themed music and the young couple skipping down the beach front. They are shown to both hug and kiss, whilst the music changes to a solo trumpet  often associated with 'intimate' scenes. The fades between the shots represent the fact that this is in fact a memory or flashback continuing as the couple interact- taking pictures etc. without dialogue and accompanied by non diegetic music. At 1.11 Sandy starts to speak about how hers and her 'lovers' summer is coming to an end giving the viewer an insight to the situation whilst the music saddens with a violin in the background (again non diegetic). after these events, the sequence cuts to an animation of a cartoons getting ready for school, as the radio plays (the lyrics in sync with their actions) and the credits show. Again, Paramount Pictures is the first credit possibly for legal reasons, then followed by the title 'Grease' and the production team, finally followed by the main characters, the rest of the production team and finally the director. The fact that the credits are in animation introduces the audience to the characters and a bit of context before the film starts, this is all accompanied by the song 'Grease is the Word'.

The first set of events are very linked as this portrays the teen romance whilst introducing the two main characters briefly. However the animated credits sequence is slightly linked to the first half of the opening scene, but not entirely. I believe the credits are separated from the previous situation mainly because they are animated, however they do introduce characters and locations further. In addition quite a lot of story information is revealed through the opening sequence to Grease as the main characters are introduced and the locations of many significant events to follow. Yet, all of this information is necessary as it is what the audience needs to know before diving into the whole film and its narrative without being confused.



HW 1b - Reflections on your film still (DYM)

1. My film still represents a Teen Romantic Comedy, due to many visual aspects of the shot. The two teens hugging on stage portrays a Teen Rom-Com by the boys quirky smirk representing comedy with the girl very much embraced by him representing romance. The sour faced character in the corner adds some drama to the film still as he looks jealous ( arms crossed, bitter glance), giving an impression of the storyline.
2. I directed the shot mainly considering the position of the characters and the way in which their personalities came across. This is very important in a film still as without a solid character profile, the shot may be misinterpreted. I decided to put Hugh (the boy on the far left) slightly behind the curtain so that he was in the shadows, 'sulking', which contrasts to Sian and Sailesh on stage in the light. The low angle shot type and slight tilt of the camera shows Hugh to be 'lower' than the other two supporting the narrative. It is as if the two teens on stage are out in the open and 'happy' whilst the boy in the corner is hiding and bitter. Because I slightly angled the shot to give Sian's and Sailesh's characters some height over Hugh this makes him seem even more like a villain. Finally each individual in my group took a solo approach when directing their film stills including me, to make sure that they receive the most desired aesthetic and interpretations.
3. I intend for the audience to identify my film still as a Teen Rom-Com straight away due to this generations familiarity with films such as Mean girls, Bring it on, Its a Boy Girl thing etc.. The common characters from these well known films are very recognisable, and I have tried to interprate this in my film still with teens in a relationship under threat by a jealous peer, so that my characters are interchangeable.  
4. The successes of my film still are; The intended representations of characters, the lighting of the shot and they way in which it portrays my characters.  
5. In hindsight, I would practice before shooting my final still and experiment with locations as I do not feel that it is clear why my characters are on stage, also I would have thought about the characters wardrobe and maybe interpret props or edit the final still after shooting to fit my genre.

HW 1a - Existing Film Still Analysis (DYM)




Jared Leto as the joker, Suicide Squad Summer 2016.

Narrative

The Joker has had many forms over the years, yet in my opinion Jared Leto has gone for a more modern and abstract approach to the role.The first impressions of this film still are either that this man is crazy, very violent (or most likely both) mainly due to the knifes arranged in a pattern around him - creating a sinister vibe to the shot. The juxtaposition between these weapons surrounding him and the smile on his face gives the viewer an insight to his 'sketchy' and unstable persona as this is undoubtedly unusual behaviour. This shot also  portrays his characters vulnerability as (spoiler alert) he is without Harley Quinn who he is very much attached to, due to the fact that the knifes are completely surrounding him and almost closing in on him... trapping him. The dim earthy colours, supported by the yellow washed light intercepting the shot from a window and  framing the Joker, all contrast with his neon green hair, giving the viewer an image of how he does not fit into his surroundings even when they are as unusual as this.

Genre

This shot in particular connotes an action, superhero and thriller film, however Suicide Squad has many genres as a modern hybrid film including; comedy, romance, Sci-fi and Crime. The character himself can be seen as mentally unstable mainly by his expression and his infamous appearance as the joker. The props and lighting make the thriller genre very obvious in this case as it sets the atmosphere for violence/ conflict etc. 

Audience

In this still the audience can get different impressions due to the fact that the Joker is a well known character. A new viewer may feel frightened by the still, as it could create suspense due to the knives apposed to his facial expression and The Jokers 'odd' appearance. However a solid fan base of DC comics could interpret the still differently due to prior knowledge of The Jokers vulnerability when it comes to Harley Quinn (which is emphasised in Jared Leto's version). They may realise how 'trapped' he is by the positioning of the weapons, and even relate to his 'psycho' grin.