Preliminary Task Evaluation

E VA LU AT I O N

' LOOK IN G B AC K AT YOU R PREL IM IN ARY TAS K , WHAT DO YOU F EE L YO U HAVE LEARN T T HRO UG HOU T T HE PROC E S S FROM PL AN N IN G T O F IN AL PRO DU C T ?

D U R ING T H I S P RE L I M I NARY TASK , I H AVE R E AL I SE D J U S T H OW M U CH P L ANN I NG , AND W OR K GOE S INTO A SH ORT ONE M INU T E F I L M . I WAS AL SO AB L E T O T RY F I L M I NG , AND U S I NG I M OV IE TO E D IT T H E F I L M , W H ICH WAS A F U N AND I NT E R E ST I NG E X P E R IE NCE .

P L A N N I N G P R O C E S S E S

• I never really realised how meticulous we had to be during the planning stages. Before this project, I always just assumed that we got an idea, and we just ran with it.

• However, we had to create in depth story boards to guide our experience, which was actually really helpful in the long run, as we sometimes forgot how we wanted to frame the shots, or what we needed within them, and the storyboards served as reminders of the original film we wanted to make.

• During the filming, our plot changed slightly, and we edited our story boards to reflect these changes.

• It was also interesting to realise that one of the most difficult parts of the journey is actually figuring out what the journey should be about. As a group, we found it difficult to decide on what we wanted to happen within the film--we had a lot ideas, but many of them were actually quite complicated, and difficult to execute. We had to learn to aim high, yet be realistic about what we could and could not do in the given time period.

STORY BOARDING

STORY BOARDING

S UM U P

• Story boarding

• You have to edit your story boards as your idea changes

• It’s difficult to come up with an idea—need an adequate amount of time to brainstorm

• Also important to know what type of shots we want

US E O F T E CH N O LO G I E S• During this task, I have realised that every scene needs to be taken from a

variety of different angles, and with a variety of shot compositions. It was also difficult to take smooth shots with the camera moving--as a group, we spent a lesson or two trying to figure out how to shoot the original introduction walking scene, which we ended up cutting from the final product. I have learnt that a steady hand for panning and movement is key, and that we also need to frame shots correctly in order to achieve the wanted effect.

• Directing was a lot of fun! It was really interesting to see how different people interpret different shots, and how all the actors in films need the background support that directors provide. The actions on screen are an accumulation of both the actor, and the way they interpret the scene, alongside the director, who provides the direction needed for a smooth, and believable production.

• I also learnt that I am not a particularly good actress (hahahaha). While I do have fun in front of the screen, and while I do enjoy public speaking, I don't think I will be the next Gene Kelly, and would probably prefer to direct and edit in future projects.

• I learned just how much footage is wasted during the production process, and how cut down the final production is. We probably had around ten minutes worth of footage by the end of the the project, but we only ended up using one minutes worth of the footage. This--once again--showed me just how important camera work is, and has enlightened me upon the hard work many people put into a few minutes worth of footage. I was surprised that one of the most intensive moments in this project was actually the production of the footage, and placing the footage in the correct order to create a film that made sense.

• Editing was also an interesting experience. I learnt about a variety of iMovie features, such as the 'white balance' changer which was crucial to equalise footage taken on two different days. I also learnt about freezeframes, speeding up/down, as well as some of the limited sound and transitions available on iMovie. Overall, iMovie was quite easy to use, and the editing process wasn't as strenuous as I expected.

• It was amazing to realise just how important sound is for the ambience of the film. We tried a variety of different royalty-free sound files, and settled on our final one because we felt that it best suited the mood we wanted to portray. I now know that music and sound editing plays a key role in the creation of mood. The shot composition only does half the job alone.

• I also learned about the different tools needed for filming, like tripods and dollies

iMovie was the main editing tool

A shot that we ended up not using

We got our royalty free music from this site

S UM U P

• Scenes need to be taken from a variety of different angles

• Lots of footage must be taken—much of it is wasted

• Tools like dollies and tripods

• iMovie features

• The importance of sound

W OR K I N G I N A G R OU P

• I have learnt that it's absolutely crucial for everyone to be on the same page and to be working for the same outcome. When it comes to film making, it's important for every person to know what's happening in a scene, or else the process can become inefficient and convoluted.

• Our group worked together decently well, but there were a few moments of confusion, where we weren't on the same page.

• On the flip side, we were good at providing different ideas, and this played a key role in the development of our film.

S UM U P

• It’s key for people to be on the same page

• Good for a variety of ideas and opinions

OV E RC O M I N G C H A L L E N G E S

• This film task was quite difficult, as we felt as if we didn't have enough time to do it as well as we could have. We had set up a really high standard and a semi-complex idea, and therefore found it difficult to complete the task on time. We didn't realise how long it would take for us to decide on an idea, and we also used the first 2 lessons or so trying to figure out the logistics of filming.

• In the end, we were able to get it together and finished filming by Thursday. I used my study periods to cut the film together, and Maddy and I met up on Thursday night to fine tune the editing.

• We also had some trouble with venue changes, but we just had to make do with what we had, and it is not noticeable in our final product.

• I have learned to adapt to changes, and that sometimes, you have to settle for the best product you can produce in the given time period. Next time, I would make sure that we plan better, as well as set a timeline for everything that needs to be done, as well as when they need to be done by.