AS Level Media Evaluation - Question 6 FINAL

Evaluation

EvaluationJake WisemanWhat have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

Throughout the process of planning, filming and editing our media product I have learnt a lot of various skills. Many of the things Ive learnt are technological but I feel I have also learnt some physical skills that have helped make the project flow and be as efficient as possible. Ive learnt a lot about camera angles and how to use them and have also discovered the positives and negatives of using tripods and other pieces of filming apparatus. As well as the filming aspects I feel my knowledge into editing has advanced greatly and I am now very comfortable with using the software.

We used many different camera angles in order to create a gripping thriller sequence. This meant researching into which angles worked best for what type of on screen actions and also meant selecting the right location for each shot. We thought about the content of our opening sequence and then methodically planned out which shot we would use for each piece of action. Using these new camera angles helped me to learn and understand the importance of lighting in film. This was because some shots would not work if the light source was incorrectly positioned in relation to the lens. I also learnt a lot about how to produce a high quality shot from the various camera angles and this advancement in my learning allowed us to get some really effective shots and meant out final product was of a very high quality.

Camera AnglesCamera AnglesExtreme Close upWhen trying to film the last shot for our opening sequence (the extreme close up of the shot girls body) we encountered several difficulties. We had technical challenges in terms of the camera and getting it to focus how we wanted and also problems with regards to acting and continuity. With an extreme close up everything is in great detail and therefore everything must be exact when filming otherwise you may encounter continuity errors. To et a decent shot we had to stand very close to the face of the person we were filming and move the camera slowly as it tracked up their arm so that it would not blur and give a poor quality image.

Close UpClose up shots are also very difficult to film for the same reasons. When filming these shots it was difficult to keep the camera steady and it would be a problem if it was shaky because the audience would pick up on it more than they would any other shot. It is difficult enough to take a still photograph with a macro lens so it was 10 times harder to produce a close up piece of film with out this technology. I think filming this type of shot helped me improve my filming skills because I had to keep still while filming it as the tripod could not be used for this shot.

Camera AnglesPanning ShotWe wanted to use a panning shot of the two detectives running across the wooden bridge because we felt it gave a good representation of the pace of the chase and also the movement across the bridge. One problem was getting to the small patch of land under the bridge to film from because there was a ditch in the way (see risk assessment: for safety details). Also, when filming the tripod often squeaked as we panned round. To avoid this we had to loosen the pivot. This problem helped me to learn the different parts of the tripod and how they work.

High Angle ShotTo film the high angle shot in the chase scene one of our friends had to climb a tree (see risk assessment: for safety details) in order to get a good height for filming. However, it would have been incredibly difficult to use the tripod in the tree and therefore the cameraman had to do some hand held recording. To improve the stabilization of the shot I suggested using the tree branches to rest his arms on so that he was less likely to move the camera when filming. This worked well and I think the shot looked great in our thriller.

Camera AnglesPoint of View (POV) ShotThis was an extremely challenging shot to film. It was difficult because it required me to film the action with my weak hand and hold the gun out in my right. I had to try to keep the gun in line with the camera while also keeping the shot in focus. It was hard but I managed to use my right arm to stabilize the camera and the final shot worked well in terms of building suspense in our thriller. Despite the difficulties, trying to film this shot benefitted me and the film because it helped we to learn how to keep the camera steady under tough circumstances.

Action Shot/Ground ShotTo give the audience an idea of the type of film Silencer will be we wanted to have some action shots from the very start. The shot of the car going through the puddle was my idea and was inspired by the car scenes in many of the James Bond movies. We had to find a spot that was suitable and safe to film at and then we needed to find a way of protecting the camera from the water that would be sprayed up from the car. To protect the camera I wrapped a large piece of cling film over the lens, this worked well and allowed us to get a good shot of the car.

Main Challenges: FilmingThe key challenges that we had to overcome in the filming process was being able to keep the camera steady when not being able to use a tripod and also being able to use the tripod effectively when it was needed.

Small TripodWhen unable to use the normal tripod we tried to use the smaller tripod, especially for low angle shots, as it provided a more stable mount than our hands. We used the smaller tripod in a few of our shots in order to keep the camera steady while the shot was being filmed from low down. The tripod worked well however it wasnt a rotating head and therefore we couldnt do any panning shots. Below is an image of the smaller tripod along with some of the shots we used it for. Note: I have included the coke for scale

Main Challenges: FilmingFree Hand filmingWhen unable to use the normal tripod or smaller tripod we had to do our best to record decent quality images using only our hands to keep the camera steady. This is a skill that even professional photographers find challenging so I knew it would be tough. However, over the 3 days of filming we did I feel I learnt various techniques which allowed me to improve at keeping the camera steady and I was then able to pass on my tips to help the others in my group improve their techniques. To keep the camera still without a tripod I gave myself a wide base of support and low centre of mass to keep myself still and used my other hand to rest the camera on. I also used objects such as fences, stones or tree branches to rest the camera on as I found this helped produce a higher quality piece of film. We also used shots such as POVs (Point of views) ,such as the one in the middle below, which didnt have to be steady and therefore a hand held shot was suitable in creating the correct effect.

Using a TripodBeing interested in photography I have had experience with working with tripods before. Prior to this project I knew the basic set up techniques and requirements of using a tripod. On the other hand, I have never really done any filming before so recording moving images was new to me. Overall, I found using the tripod relatively easy however there were some things that created challenges when using it.

The first challenge was the noises it made when we did the panning shot. The clicking and squeaking as it moved could be heard on the recorder footage and therefore I loosened the pivot so that it didnt make any noise the next time. We then re-filmed that shot and it was fine.

Another thing that was challenging was being able to position the tripod in a place where all the footage we needed from the single shot could be captured. This meant considering the height, placement and angle of the tripod head had to be spot on. Here are some of the shots we got using the camera on top of the tripod.

Using a TripodI think using a tripod in our project had both positives and negatives. Here are a few of the main ones:

Positives:Allows for a stabilized high quality image with sharp, consistent focusMakes panning at the same height easier and more consistentMakes framing an image using tree branches more precise and refined (no movement)Many tripods have height adjusting stem meaning a smooth height transition

NegativesAwkward to carry around (especially on lengthy filming days like ours)Takes a lot of time to set up the tripod in terms of height of the legs, angle of the head etc.Can be expensive, although we had our own so this wasnt much of an issueLarge tripods can be difficult to carry and can slow you down

EditingAfter we had filmed all of the action we needed it was time for editing. To edit all of the recorded film, music and sound effects we had sourced we used Adobe Premier Elements which is a professional video editing software. I hadnt really used the software before so I was starting from scratch. Despite my low level of knowledge about the software at the start I think I picked it up pretty quickly and I was soon the head editor in our group.

After using the different features on the program I felt much more confident with the whole editing process. To produce our final piece I had to use a lot of different techniques to make the film the best quality it could be. I also had to use the different tools on the software to add in sound effects and soundtracks.

The timeline feature (shown above) was very helpful during the editing stage of our media product. It allowed us to see the various timings of each shot and also the elements within each section of film. It also allowed us to scroll through our work easily and meant that we could also see how the sound effects, soundtrack and text all matched up with the film.

Cuts between shotsWe needed to ensure the cuts between shots were fast paced and provided a variation in viewing angles for the audience. When editing on the adobe programme we used the trimming tool to cut our clips of film down and then used various transitions to change between shots. Despite having the options of fades, sliding transitions and others, we felt that simple match cut and jump cuts were best as they maintained the sense of pace we needed in our opening sequence.

Fade to BlackThere were some shots which we thought would work well with a different effect/transition. For the different film companies at the beginning of the film we thought it looked a bit odd with the sudden cuts. This is why we decided to use the fade to black tool as it was good for creating a slow pause between each and the plain back screen gave it a more professional aesthetic.

Blurred ShotFor the shot of the detective about to kill, we though a distorted shot would work really well. The effect on the clip would reflect the confused and distorted thoughts going through the detectives mind and would therefore be something that would add to the overall effect created for the audience. We also felt that the blur shot moving in and out was really good as it matched up with the pounding sound of the heartbeat sound effect.Cut to BlackThis editing technique was really effective in our opening sequence. We used the sudden cut to a black screen for the shot of the gun being fired. The black background appears as the gunshot is heard. This covers up the sight of the gun shot which we needed because our fake gun obviously would not look realistic when fired. It also adds to the power of the moment and the audience automatically know that somebody has been shot because of the audio.

Inserting Text (Credits)The names of our cast needed to be displayed at some point during our opening sequence. Having performed research into different techniques regarding credits we decided that for our film genre of crime thrillers the most successful credits where those that appeared over the top of the on screen action rather than a separate list which would be much less dynamic. To insert our names we used the text tool and selected a suitable font. We also changed the font size and colour and positioned it on the screen where it was clearly visible. We also ensured that the credits were relatively well spread out along our opening sequence as we didnt want them all close together. We applied the fade effect to the text so that they faded in and out. This made them more subtle but still noticeable.

Sound BalanceThe use and alteration of sound balance was something else that enhanced our piece. We used this tool to differentiate the volume levels between the soundtrack, sound effects and the audio from the film recording. This tool uses sliders which provide a simple way to adjust the levels of volume in order to improve the overall product.Time RemappingWe used time remapping to slow down and speed up sections of our film. Due to speed limit laws and also the weather conditions on the day, the shot of the jaguar being driven appeared very slow when we watched it over. This is why we had to use this time remapping tool to increase its pace. We also used this editing technique to create the opposite effect, slow motion. We used this in the shot where the car splashes the puddle, this gave a great shot and also allows more time for the audience to read the name in the credits in this shot. We also used it in the shot with the detectives jumping over the logs as it gave a professional and dynamic look to the shot.

Music/Soundtrack and sound effectsWe wanted to include a soundtrack in our opening sequence. This would set the tone of the film and would enhance the pace of the chase scene. The music we chose featured a series of string and percussion instruments which both emphasised pace and tension in the film. We also used sound effects such as the gunshot and the heartbeat in the warehouse scenes. These soundtracks were files we had downloaded from the internet and then inserted into our work using the insert audio tool. The effects enhanced the on screen action and made the shooting of the gun appear to be more authentic.