-

1. EVALUATION
Josh Eastham

2. PRODUCTION
PROCESS
EVALUATION

3.  In terms of my research I believe one of the strengths were the variety of different options I
had for answers on my survey that gave those that took it seriously a load of different
answers to choose from. This then gave me a more accurate idea of the different types of
platforms people use to consume media. I also learnt about how enticing the summary of
my short film sounded and how I may need to change some elements to adapt my project
and make it so people will want to watch it. As a result of my survey I realised that more
people enjoyed thriller rather then horror so I endeavoured to produce a piece that does a
good job of creating drama and tension throughout the film in the way that a thriller film
would whilst still keeping the aesthetics of a horror film, something I thing I did very well
with the ticking clock counting down to his death in real time.
 In terms of the weaknesses of my research, my survey in particular tended to focus
generally on peoples consumption of films instead of focusing on my film and how the
answers to the questions could help me improve it. The reason for this however was that
when we were creating the survey I still didn’t have a very clear idea of what I wanted my
film to be about. If I was to improve for next time then I would make sure I have clearer
idea earlier on and write down possible ideas then choose from the best ones. We did
something similar to that with the mind map however I think it would help me better if I
actually draw it out. I think if I did have it more developed then I would have been able to
create a survey that was more tailored to helping me gather information on the target
audience for my film. The effect of this would be that I would have been able to further
adjust the tone of my film to fit the target audience. In my research I originally talked about
my film having a 15+ rating due to its supposed scary nature however it probably isn’t that
at all due to the tone being somewhat mild, it wasn’t very dark as I had intended but that
could be attributed to the production limitations of producing an amateur 1 minuet short film
as we did.

4.  In terms of my planning once I had a clear idea of what I wanted to produce I thought it went
really well and that I was very organised with it as I managed to get all of the pre production
documents completed without falling behind which I surprised myself with. This allowed me to
have time to produce my film instead of rushing through it like I thought I might have to.
Having extra time to do this is very important as things might go wrong and require reshoots.
This actually happened for me a originally we had filmed loads of clips that looked fine on the
camera’s monitor but when viewed on the larger HD screen on a Mac were actually out of
focus and blurry. This lead to me having to go reshoot the scenes later on in the afternoon as
the other ones were unusable. If I hadn’t of made sure I was up to date with everything it is
likely I wouldn’t have had time to reshoot the scenes so planning helped my product to still be
successful even in the event of there being an issue in the production as we had planned
ahead with contingency and backup options.
 The weaknesses of my planning I mainly stated in the last slide in that it took me perhaps too
long to get a strong idea of what I finally wanted my film to be about. Another thing that I think
wasn’t as good as it could have been was my storyboard. The graphical design of it is good
as I used a dedicated storyboarding website that had premade graphics on it. However I do
believe that it should have been more detailed with more slides on it to show more of the shot
types I would have liked to have in my film. This would have had an improvement on my film
as it would have been a good medium for visualising and planning out different shots
compared to spending ages trying to figure out my shot list only then for my actual shots to
actually be mostly different to my shot list as the locations I wanted to use were unavailable
for various reasons, despite this my shots turned out to be really good (once we had reshot
them as the originals were out of focus) and they succeeded in bringing the ideas I had for
the film into reality.

5.  I thought I did really well with my time management as I managed to complete all of my work on
time without falling behind. I usually tend to fall behind and have to catch up as I can easily
loose focus, however this time I really felt the motivation to get everything done as I really wanted
to produce my piece of work to the highest quality possible and get everything done before
Christmas. One reason why I think that I sometimes tend to fall behind is because that
sometimes I will listen to music to help me concentrate sometimes this works and sometimes it
doesn’t. I noticed it works for if I am doing a creative activity such as producing something on
Photoshop it helps me to concentrate. Obviously this wouldn't work whilst editing as I need to
hear the audio on what I was editing. I also now know that it doesn’t work whilst I am typing up a
word document as for me a tend to say what I am typing in my head so as a result it can be
distracting listening to music whilst typing. This is probably major reason as to why I fall behind.
Having a shot list and call sheet also helped me to keep everything to schedule as I had
deadlines to meet.
 One of the things I did for this production is making sure I had extra time in case things went
wrong. This proved the right thing to do as I hit a technical issue pretty early on. When we first
started filming, the first scene we shot was outside. As this project had to be filmed on manual
focus we made sure that once we got outside that the camera was in focus however, once we
had finished and began to film inside we forgot about focusing the camera. We didn’t notice this
however as it looked fine on the camera monitor, I only realised once I had but all of the footage
on the computer and looked at it on a bigger screen. Therefore I had to go reshoot my scenes
during the afternoon. This is why having extra time was crucial as if I didn’t I likely would have
fallen behind and not have been able to finish my work on time.
 If I had more time to produce my work likely would have refined some things to make sure I was
fully satisfied. In my peer feedback some people have said that should add a flashing images
warning at the start as well as making sure the text message at the start stays on screen longer
as well as being easier to read, I did kind of rush that part as I really was running out of time
therefore it ended up not being as good as I wanted. If I did have longer I would have added a
message bubble behind the text message making it easier to read.

6. Here are a few examples of long shots used in
my video. The reason I decided to use several
long shots in places to show the sheer size of the
areas that we are filming in. I thought the long
shot in the car park looked really good as it was
very symmetrical and once I had ran out of shot
you could see this thing coming towards the
camera. My thinking was similar whilst I had the
other long shot of the balcony in the college
atrium my thinking with this is that it looked good
and it was a good position for the camera to be in
to show me running from something and run into
the toilets as the space we have to work with on
that walkway is obviously very limited.
I was trying to create a similar shot as the one of
this woods were both the left and the right sides
looked somewhat symmetrical. I also was thinking
about the effects I was going to add on in post
production such as the flickering lights which due
to the way they shine on the metal girders on the
roof looked really good when I added the flicker
effect to the video.

7. Some of the shots in my film were filmed using
the shaky cam technique. The reason I did
this is because I wanted to give the idea that
in some scenes the camera was the POV of
the monster chasing the protagonist. I also did
this because I wanted to give a sense of
immersion suggesting an unrehearsed filming
of reality and that it was really happening from
some the monsters point of view of the
monster.
The film Rec is famous for using a
documentary style shaky cam which manages
to give the impression that this could actually
be happening as it looks unorganized as if it
could be filmed in reality.

8. If I was to compare my Short Film to a previous production, I would probably choose a
production that I made not long after starting this course to practice editing. The reason
why I would compare my production another one by me, is because they are both
horror films that use similar techniques however the ones I used in my new film are
more advanced as I am now better at editing then I was before. This provides my with a
good idea of how I have improved since last time as well as giving me ideas for things I
still haven't been able to achieve that I could try next time.
My new production:
Stalker –A short Film
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvY
osDkojTo
My old production:
Demon –A short Film
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v13kBa
qrQQY
Both of these filmed used effects that I had found on YouTube overlaid onto a green background that I ultra
keyed out. However when I was producing my first film I didn’t really know how to do key frame animation to
get the effects to move around on screen on premier. I have since learned how to do that as for my new
production I was able to animate the gamma settings on the video clips quickly to give the impression of
flickering lights. It also helped knowing how to use the positioning tool properly especially when I was doing
the ghost effect on them mirror as it was really tricky to position it correctly, something which I couldn’t have
done before. Another similar thing is the color grading effects as they are both dark and atmospheric to
evoke a sense of fear in the audience. This coupled with the audio tracks on both productions were a very
good combination to do this. One final difference that shows I have improved is that my new production
actually had credits on them. Achieving this also shows my Photoshop and after effects skills have improved
as I used Photoshop for the text style and font, then AE for the bulge and light ray effects.

9. Music Ticking sound Cinematic impact sounds
I thought I was really lucky when
I found this piece of music as it
has a section in it with increasing
tension that I thought was really
good for use in my film. I
deliberately times it so the music
reached its climatic point with the
film so it became an integral part
of building tension, I really
wanted a piece that when
combined with the sound effects
and visuals would really get the
viewers heart pounding as the
film builds up closer and closer to
its climax.
The inspiration for having this sound
effect came from when I added my
ticking clock down in the bottom right
hand corner of my film. When looking
at it counting down In real time as the
character got closer and closer to his
death, the clock didn’t really stand out
to me and didn't’t do a good job of
showing time passing by itself.
Therefore I decided I should add a
ticking noise that when synced up
with the clock really gave the
audience the feeling that time was
passing and that the character was
trapped in the situation and wasn’t
getting out of it which was my original
intention.
These were used mainly for dramatic
effect moments for example when the
clock begins to tick down to the
characters death. I mainly used it
during the parts of the film with
credits as I thought it did a really
good job of filling in the sound for the
transition between the film and the
title card/ credits at the start and end
of the film.
This is a quality that is often used in
cinema to highlight dramatic
moments, one notable use is in the
trailer for the film inception were a
similar sound effect is used several
times throughout the trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yo
HD9XEInc0&feature=youtu.be
Similar chase style music has been
used in thriller/horror films and
trailers before and could be
considered generic

10. One of the technical qualities I was really impressed happy with in my final piece
was the flickering light effect I achieved. I was worried about how I was going to
produce this because obviously I couldn’t really have the lights flickering on and off
really fast in the college. So I began to play around with different brightness and
color effects in premier, eventually I found out that if I adjusted the gamma really
quickly it gave the impression of lights flickering on and off really fast. Therefore all I
had to do was animate the gamma to change from high to a lower setting really
quickly using key frames.

11. One thing I am also pleased by is the way this effect turned out, I did this by finding
a ghost effect overlaid onto a green background on YouTube. I then used the ultra
key effect remove the green background. I then used the motion animator to
position the ghost in the correct area for it to be in the mirror. I then duplicated the
clip and then re adjusted the positioning so it appeared to be in the next mirror
along.

12. Title Credits: One of my favorite things about my film are the
credits and the font style used to create them. The font I used is
famous for being used on the front of 1080s Steven King novels
as well as on the Netflix show Stranger Things. I did some
research and found out that the font was called ITC Benguiat and
was designed in 1977. I found a place were I could download the
font from and install it onto the Mac so I could use it in Photoshop
to design my credits. Since doing this it has become one of my
favorite fonts especially when used with the color red as I think it
is really representative of the horror genre. For the weaknesses it
was difficult to fit all of the credits into a 1 minuet film with up to a
10 to 15 second leeway for credits. I did manage it however I
think they maybe went across the screen too quickly and if I had
more time I would have them go slower.
Comparison of my use of the font ITC
Benguit vs. other uses.
Color Grading: The color grading was a very
important part of editing as it helped set the tone and
atmosphere of the film. For the inside I decided to
change a greyish tone to represent the bleakness's of
the situation and that the character was almost facing
certain death. I also did that as once it combined with
the flickering lights it gave a really good effect. The color
grading of the outdoor scene was harder to do because
it was so bright. Therefore I gave it a very dark, orange
grading which helped set the tone. The only issue I had
with the color grading is that once I had applied it it
seemed to decrease the video quality slightly.

13. In terms of audience appeal I think the way the film builds up tension
would appeal to the audience. To build up tension I made it very clear
that the character only had a set amount of time to live, I then added a
countdown clock at the side of the screen counting down in real time to
the characters death. I also added a ticking sound on to accompany the
clock which I thought adds tension as it makes the audience very
aware that time is passing. I also thought I had struck gold when I found
the non copyright music that I used in my film as there is a really good
section were it picks up pace and abruptly ends which I thought was
very good to build up tension so I used it in my film.
Not everyone said that they liked the idea of my film simply based on its
synopsis so I would be interested to see the results of my peer feedback
once people have actually seen my film so I can get an idea of what they
liked or disliked about it.
One thing I hope will appeal to the audience will be using
the camera as the first person POV of the creature that Is
chasing the protagonist, as well as the clever use of
camera movements like he wobble done by Luke at the
very end of the film as I liked it and I thought it was very
effective.
One thing several people that have already
seen it said to me is that they liked the use of
atmosphere in the film with the flickering
lights, creepy whispering and music.

14. PEER
FEEDBAC
K

15. What did you like about the product?
 I liked the visual effects
 The acting was immersive
 What improvements could have been made to the product?
 I think the text at the start, the text messages, would have been easier
to read I a different colour.
 I would recommend that you include a warning about the flashing
imagery.
 -Evaluated by Will Cave

16.  What did you like about the product?
 One thing which I liked about the short film would be the special
effects. The use of flashing and dimmed lights, shows the eerie feel in
the film, as it is showing darkness, which is a evil feel.
 Also, the countdown on the bottom adds suspense to the film, as you
wait to find out what happens at 0.
 What improvements could have been made to the product?
 If you could improve, it would be the text message. You could have
added text icons to the words. This would make it easier to read.
Evaluated by Andreas Mina

17.  What did you like about the product?
I really like the amount of visual effects that have been added. The
flickering lights and dark, ribbon-like shape were really well
implemented. The music was also great. It keeps the suspense high
throughout the entire film.
The use of the text messages was well done. The story starts instantly
and there are no redundant shots anywhere. The filter used on all of
the shots along with the countdown were nice additions that help to tell
the story.
 What improvements could have been made to the product?
There is not a lot to improve upon, though there could be tweaks upon
things such as a the flickering lights towards the end and the drastic
focus pulls, which were a little nauseating.
- Evaluated by Cameron Whapples

18.  What do you agree with from your peer feedback?
 I basically agree with all of my peer feedback as they are all valid points which
have been raised. I especially agree with the criticism of the text messages at the
start as they do appear to fast and are not very clear to read due to the font
colour. The reason why I did choose that specific colour is because I was
struggling to find a colour that appeared well on the background. If I was to redo it
I probably would make sure I had the time to do an overlay shape of a text
message bubble as then it would be easier to see over the light background.
Another thing I would agree with would be at the start it would be a good idea to
include a warning of flashing imagery as someone with epilepsy would struggle with
the constantly flickering lights towards the end and if this was an actual film I could
actually be sued for not including a warning so if I were to back and change it
adding a warning would be one thing I would do.

19. What do you disagree with from your peer feedback?
One criticism I would partially agree & disagree with is that some of the shots at the
end are quite nauseating. Whilst it was perhaps overdone slightly this was the
intended effect as I wanted to add a sense of immersion by making the viewer feel
slightly nauseous as the character would be feeling nauseous as well due to fear.
Other then that I can’t really think of anything else I would disagree with, as every
point raised I would really agree with, however the feedback has been very useful
as it has given me a really good idea of how I could improve my film even more. As
well as take into account audience comfort which would go a long way to improving
general audience appeal and reviews if this were an actual feature film. It is very
important to make sure the film goes down well with the audience as that is who you
are making it for.