1. Evaluation Question 7
Looking back at your preliminary work,
what do you feel you have learnt and in
the progression from it to your final
product?
2. Research and planning
I think when it came to the research it didn’t show what to
make but how to make an opening. I can’t say it gave me
many ideas when I watched other film openings but it helped
me see what other film makers include to make their opening,
the watching showed me everything from the lighting to
where the camera is angled to how many titles other thrillers
would include in the first few minutes.
My skills have definitely developed and improved after finding
more out about why a camera angle may be at the angle it is
or why a person is dressed in that way.
I think I did struggle with the timing but I think that was due
to it taking a long time but I think I was still finished for each
deadline that I set or the teacher set.
3. construction
Although my preliminary was a lot shorter than my finished production
and done in college time I still think that my finished opening titles was
done a lot better. I learnt about shot composition and chose to angle
certain shots the way I did to show power in some places as well as
making the other character looking vulnerable at that time. I learnt
how to edit the lighting to make it look like a different time of day
which effected the feel of the film. I could then edit the pace and
music- this wasn’t so possible at college the first time as it was only a
short clip but I learnt how to trim clips down and make them to fit
better around other shots. Because I included a lot of running, I’m glad
I learnt about the 180 degree rule as it would have been confusing to
pull it off without knowing.
At college I never got the chance to choose anything to do with mese
en scene where as for my opening I could pick where it was set, what
the actors wore, props and where everything was positioned.
4. Shot composition
I think when it came to shot composition, I did a lot of preparation as I
filled in a few rough story boards when I wasn’t sure what to do then
when I had an idea I did that as a storyboard. Some of the shots didn’t
work but I think they were a good starting place. When planning, I
didn’t think shot by shot, I thought of different shots I needed as a
rough Idea, drew them out randomly and thought ‘how could I get a long
shot pan turn into a extreme close up?’. I think I did put a lot of work into it as I
wanted to try and get every kind of shot that I could do physically into
it. I don’t think I did manage as some either weren't possible or
wouldn’t fit in this kind of genre. When it came to where I placed the
characters I had to really think about it so I didn’t break the 180 degree
rule. I think I did break it in some parts but It was either while I moved
the camera around the person or because its set at a quick pace and
was too fast and all over the place to notice.
5. Holding a steady shot
• Throughout my opening I never used a tripod, It stared off with the
point that when I panned with it, you may see my hand shaking so
two hands might be easier to hold it. I wasn’t until I looked back at
them after each time I recorded a shot, it gives the effect that you
are there also. Some new films use this effect to make you feel
apart of the action, some it when the camera zoom in as though it
has been recorded on a hand held phone, I did this by accident in
the beginning as I filmed the car go past. It was when I looked back I
realised that it works in my favour and jumps to the car slightly to
show more focus and sets your attention on it. In my preliminary I
used a tripod to make everything was a very steady shot. Where as
I just used my own strength to hold the camera still. I then ran it
through IMovie to use the steady effect and correct my
unsteadiness.
6. lighting
• In my preliminary, everything was just the same colour
and same effect where as when I shot my real opening
I couldn’t help the light, it was a dull and rainy day. I
was trying to stay out of the rain because the camera
couldn’t pick it up very well so the actors and I were
just getting wet for no reason. I left the lighting as it
was and didn’t change any aperture on the camera. It
was when I got back to college and uploaded it, I put it
through Imovie and used the ‘day into night’ effect
where it takes all the colour and turns it slightly blue,
which does work in my favour as it looks as though its
turning into night time.
7. locations
For my prelim, It was in college time so I could only film inside the college as I
wouldn’t be able to get permission in time. This limited me to where I could
record in the college so I just decided to record in one room.
When it came to my real film opening, I got permission to film at a friends
house where it was easier to make it look like a real film compared to a
students film that would be filmed in a college. I was happy where I chose in
the end as I was able to us the extent of the whole are, which included
woodland, muddy paths, fields and single road tracks when all these come in
one place its easier to record as I don’t need to change location.
When designing and thinking about stuff, I thought about recording at an
derelict castle/ abbey that was run down and open to public. This would look
very isolated compared to, say, at college but it doesn’t look too realistic. A
chase scene wouldn’t be at an old abbey, that’s when I thought I could film it
at a house to give ideas to the audience where one of the characters live or
where the story is set at.
8. actors
When it came to actors, I wasn’t too fussed. I wasn’t going to include
major acting as it was more chasing than talking. But I did have to
think about gender, looks, personality and if it was realistic.
I didn’t really want the same actors as in my preliminary as I wasn’t
happy with how it turned out, and felt the wouldn’t suit the roles I
hand in the back of my head.
I thought that my friend Rob would be good for it: he’s a little older;
looks smart; owns a car and he looks threatening (when camera looks
up at him). My other friend Ollie doesn’t look to threatening, I
originally thought about a younger (ages 17-19) girl running as they
may look more vulnerable and scared but then the chasing may give
the wrong idea. It wouldn’t look so much like a thriller with ‘spies’ or
‘hitmen’ but just look like a bad guy chasing a girl. I thought of my
friend ollie as he looks more mature but he looks a bit vulnerable
when it come to camera angles and him running away.
9. intertitles
• I wanted to add a lot more titles to my opening.
They didn’t fit over the top of my shots and some
were panning or too quick to be able to read the
writing. This resulted in me having to add the
titles around each shot then the only sensible
option was to add them over a black background.
I then had to think about font, size and colour.
Because I never added them to my preliminary I
wasn’t sure how I would manage them. Some
people used Photoshop but I just used what was
already on in final cut to line them up and find
the font.
10. sound
The sound took longer than it took to arrange everything and
put the clips in order.
I also never added any real music to my preliminary as I just
added loops to the clip. Where as I couldn’t find anything I liked
and needed something that fit the genre, tempo or the timing
of each shot, this way I had to edit it my self with a declining
bassline that wasn’t available on any website with no copyright.
This took most of m time up to get right. But it was worth it to
get it better than my prelim.
