Preliminary Task- Evaluation

Preliminary Task- Evaluation

Overall I am pleased with our final preliminary video. I believe that our group worked well as a team and that we made decisions fairly quickly despite having a few disagreements. I thought that the camera angles were effective and that we used different shots which created variety. In addition the lighting was appropriate and what we wanted, therefore the low key lighting fits in well with the thriller theme and has inspired me to use this particular lighting in the actual opening scene task.  I feel that the editing went well and that the transitions used were appropriate and effective, However before using the editing program I didn't know how to use the software but after some help I now understand how it works and how to delete or add scenes and transitions. I believe that the added non-diegetic music that played at the start and end of the extract worked well and the music was sinister and dark, which again fits in well with the thriller theme. However, the only thing I would change is the footage itself. The reason for this is because at times the video is fairly blurry and therefore makes it harder for the audience to view the clip. Also I am shown smiling and laughing within the extract even though I should have held a straight face and looked serious, therefore in my actual opening sequence I wont act due to finding it difficult to remain serious.  

        

Preliminary task- Final video

Preliminary- Final video 

 

                                         
                              Above is the edited and completed preliminary video- 'REGRET' 

Preliminary task- Editing

Preliminary-editing 

Overall, I found the editing enjoyable and believe that our preliminary video is a success. However during the editing my group faced a few issues with the footage and the program. Unfortunately our program kept refusing to download our shots, then we realised that due to our camera being a different brand to the others, we had to convert the footage and change the files. Therefore this resulted in us loosing valuable time. We also noticed that our footage was slightly blurry towards the end of the extract, and made it harder for the audience to see what was taking place. However, we learnt from this error and hopefully the quality of my final opening video will be to a higher standard. We managed to find appropriate transitions that joined the shots together , effective sounds and music that fitted well with the thriller theme and added opening titles that were portrayed throughout the extract. Before editing I had no experience in how to edit the footage, however after adding the final touches to the extract I feel much more confident in how to use the program. 

Preliminary task- Filming

Preliminary task filming-

On the day of filming we had to ensure that all of our scenes were recorded and finished within a limited amount time, therefore we had to be concentrating and use the time we had efficiently . When it came to the recording, we had one member within the group who was in charge of using the camera and filming , whilst myself, and the other two members acted within the video. In addition the directions that were made were a team decision and not an individuals , therefore we all had a say about the lighting and camera angles that were  appropriate to use.

We managed not to waste time whilst recording the video, as we knew that our time was limited, so having a clear and organised plan helped us during the filming stage. However, the room in which we wanted to film in was occupied , which resulted in us having to wait 15 minutes. But we used this time by rehearsing our roles and dialogue, so that by the time we could use the room, we were ready to record. In addition our group also had a few disagreements about the lighting in one scene which did result in us loosing a couple of minutes, however we managed to complete the task within the set amount time.

Overall, I believe that the filming went well and that our commitment is shown in the video. We managed to record all scenes in the time set and our disagreements were quickly solved. However, we had a few issues when it came to; lighting , certain camera angles and the occupied room, but these issues were solved by coming to fast agreements and using our time by rehearsing the dialogue , facial expressions and body language in a different room, which ensured that we were ready when it came to recording. 

Preliminary task- Planning

Preliminary- Initial planning
In our initial planning for our preliminary task, my group decided that we wanted to create a video that would relate within the theme of a thriller, rather than the genre of comedy, romance, action etc. The reason for this is because, by creating a thriller based video, we could use certain techniques that might have worked well and would be appropriate to use in our own final projects.

We first decided that our preliminary task could be based around an interrogation , however a few of us believed that this particular idea may not engage all viewers and we also struggled to create dialogue in which the actors would have spoke. Therefore we decided upon a kidnapping theme as we believed that this would strongly suit the genre, and that kidnapping has connotations of vulnerability, isolation and tension, and these are commonly portrayed in thrillers,due to them being sinister, engaging the audience and putting them on edge.


 
After deciding on a story, we sectioned our paper into the different chronological scenes and then began to think about possible editing techniques , camera shots, sounds and the roles of characters and which scene they would suit best. 




 We then came to a conclusion about each scene's techniques and created a basic story board which briefly outlined the plot and movements of the scene and this helped the group visualize how the story would fit and what our video was going to look like. From the story board we were then able to start shooting our footage.