My A2 Technical Skills.

1. S
TECHNICAL
SKILLS
Joshua Paice
4534

2. Canon 60D
S This is a digital single lens reflex (DSLR) camera that can take very professional and
industry standard photographs. It is able to do this through the ability to control all settings
within the camera. We are able to control the aperture (how much light is being let into the
camera, the smaller the aperture the less light getting into the lens and therefore a darker
image). The shutter speed controls how long the light is exposed to the camera; when
filming I will use a a shutter that is double the 24 frames per second frame rate, capturing a
shot that looks natural. A slower shutter speed would be more sensitive to motion blur and
not deliver a professional looking image. We are also able to control the ISO, which
accounts for the amount of noise that is added to an image, you will need a higher ISO in
low light situations. I might turn up the ISO to 200/250, to add an extra bit of grain to my
image, which will add that slightly grungy look for a teen thriller. The camera records in
1080p which is a high definition format that will make out trailer look more professional.
S The main positive of the camera is that I am able to take it off site because it is my own
piece of equipment. A limitation is that the camera is battery operated meaning it won’t be
usable if I have forgotten to charge it or if I have forgotten to bring the battery with me.

3. Manfrotto 755CX3 with a fluid
video head
S The tripod is a tool that enables me to stabilize and hold all of my shots in a particular
position. It enables me to control and consider framing, composition and angle. The tripod
is one of the key elements in creating industry standard shots. On this particular model
there are 4-5 different knobs, which really encourage a creative and more dynamic range of
shots. This freedom will really help me when creating my trailer. For one of the shots I need
a high angle of the actor looking up. The tripod will allow me to extend the legs to a height
that would not otherwise be reachable, and tilt the head down so that the actor will fill
majority of the frame. I will also use the stabilizing knob to create an unbalanced shot that
is replicated in some thriller films that I have researched.
S The fluid video head allows for smooth movement in shots when panning and tilting the
camera.
S It is beneficial that I own this piece of equipment, meaning we can take it to whatever
location best suits our film.
S The limitations of this tripod include the fact that it cannot be taken on snow, grass or mud
due to the fact it could slip and break the camera. I also must be conscious to tighten the
screw that holds the camera on the plate, otherwise the weight of the camera could force
itself off the tripod and damage the lens.

4. Sennheisser ME 66
S This is a boom microphone of my own, allowing me to
capture a dynamic and crisp sound for my film trailer from
my actors. It will be attached to a boom pole that will be
held above the actors. The close proximity will capture
the best quality sound because it is being directly aimed
at the actors, reducing the amount of background noise.
The lack of background noise creates a cleaner piece of
audio, making the film trailer feel more professional
because the audience will be immersed in the narrative
rather than distracted by bad quality audio.
S A limitation is that the power button on the microphone is
very small, meaning it can be tedious trying to remember
to turn it on. Also, the audio is being recorded separately
from the camera meaning someone will have to clap
before each shot, making it possible to sync up in post-
production.

5. Zoom H1 Sound Recorder
S This is a basic sound recorder that has a 3.5mm jack
input, allowing me to record the sound from the
Sennheisser microphone directly into the Zoom H1. By
keeping the audio and video separate, you can get the
microphone tighter into the action, capturing higher
quality sound that will make the trailer look more
professional.
S It is important to remember that the recorder runs off
batteries so could run out of charge during film, to
counter this I will always keep a pair of batteries spare
when filming.
S The recorder is also very small and quite flimsy so it is
important to keep it protected from damage at all times,
as we could loose all the recordings from the day!

6. Dead Cat
S The condenser that goes on the end of the microphone to
assist it in getting rid of some of the background wind and
or excess noise (traffic). This makes the audio sound
much cleaner because there is no sound distracting from
the dialogue spoken by the actors. The dead cat just slips
on the end of the microphone and is a very simple yet
effective piece of kit to have that will boost the production
value of my trailer.

7. Flashgun-Jessops 360AFDN
S The flashgun provides you with a sudden burst of light that connects to the hot shoe
of the camera, making the flash in sync with the shutter release of the camera. The
flash really helps in those low light, usually indoor, situations where you need an
extra burst of high key light to give a more professional touch to the photo I must
take for my film magazine cover and poster. The flashgun also has a filter that goes
on the front that softens the light being emitted. I will be able to use this feature to
create a softer look on my actor, helping me mirror the look that is created in other
pop magazines. The maneuverable head allows you to direct the light around the
room into specific spots, letting you fill in the dark areas of your photo.
S However, the flashgun is battery operated, taking 4xAA batteries. Therefore, you will
need to make sure it has a set of fully charged batteries before you begin your
shoot. Also, the appliance needs time to cool between each few shots which could
slow down your production process. There is only one of these flashguns so you
may have to book it quite far in advanced.

8. Interfit Infrared Trigger
S The trigger slots onto the hot shoe of the DSLR that we are using and
allows all the lights in the studio to flash at the same time as when we
release the shutter. This means all lights will be exposed to the sensor at
once, giving off hat industry standard photograph that we are setting out to
achieve. The lights connected to the sensor are a part of the three point
lighting setup which can help us create a range of looks for our model.
For my shoot I want to get as close as possible to the industry standard
look. Therefore, I will most likely use a basic lighting setup for my cover
but play around with positioning of lights for a more creative inside page.
S Though a clear limitation of this device is that it is battery powered and I
therefore must be sure that it has a full set of batteries before operating.

9. Pop-Up Studio
S The studio consists of a white background and the two lights
that shine into it. All the lights flash at the same time, along
with the three point lighting setup, once triggered by the infra-
red trigger. The backdrops include white, black and green
allowing us to access a variety of different moods and
atmospheres. The green could provide a useful resource if I
want to do a shot in my trailer that accesses a complex
location. Specifically, the green means that we can put our
actor onto any backdrop that we desire. When analyzing
other magazine covers in my STA’s, I found that white is a
very popular colour to have as a background for movie
magazines. Therefore, I will most likely use white as the
central backdrop for my photoshoots.
S The limitations are that they can only be used inside as do
not need to be taken outside. Also, it can’t be moved and
there are only two.

10. 3 Point Lighting
S This is the setup of three lights around the studio, a key light,
backlight, and fill light. When they are all an equal distance a
part you can create a clean and crisp look with no shadows for
your movie poster and magazine photographs. However you
can be creative when using the lights, for example you can
achieve split lighting by placing the back and fill lights in a
different position to give a pure split of light on your models
face. By making more creative choices with your lighting
setups, you are more likely to create an industry standard
image. As mentioned earlier, I want to get as close as possible
to the popular look that is demonstrated in other movie
magazines. Therefore, I will be creative but use a similar
lighting setup to the ones that create a clean and crisp look for
my front cover.
S However, you cannot take this light out of the classroom as it
needs constant electricity. You must avoid contact with the
bulb as it is burning hot.

11. Reflectors and Diffusers
S This piece of equipment allows you to create hard and
soft light, depending on which side of the reflector you
use. By doing this you can easily create a variety of
moods and atmospheres for the trailer. You can also
create a bronze glow that will further push that industry
standard look that we are setting out to achieve. I want
to use the bronze reflector sheet to make my actor stand
out in certain scenes of the trailer, guiding audience
attention to her for specific choices that she will make.
Also, this reflector can be used to create a professional
look for my photographs, indicating the success and
perfection of my actor in the film industry, further enticing
people to buy my magazine.
S However, we only have two of these and they are also
very hard to put away, meaning the wrap time of my
shoot could be affected.

12. Pag Light
S This is a portable light source that is very basic to use. It requires a strap
on battery meaning it has a very long battery life, is easy to use and
operate. You can create 3 different types of light, hard, soft and blue light
which allow you to create a variety of different moods and atmospheres.
S Though these lights are hard to use for filming as they act as a constant
light source, meaning that the light will not be as strong and high key as
that used for a flash in photography. Therefore, it is unlikely I will use this
piece of equipment as it will not strong enough to help me create the
industry standard look that I am looking for. Also, the lighting I am using
will be quite high key so that the image stands out. This high key lighting
will be hard to achieve successfully with a Pag light.

13. Colour Gels
S Colour gels change the colour of your light,
allowing you to create a range of different
moods and atmospheres. Using the gels
you can create highlights on your actors
face of a particular colour. When
conducting some research I found that this
was very popular in high budget teen
thrillers and commercial photography.
Therefore, I may use an orange colour gel
on my fill light to demonstrate an
aggressive undertone which is present in
most teen thrillers. These gels are really
cheap so if the department does not have
this colour available, I will easily be able to
purchase it.

14. Photoshop CS6
S This is the main tool that I will be using to manipulate and
create content for my magazine. It is used by
professionals in the industry which will help boost the
demand for my movie poster and magazine, as people
will like the crisp clean look of the cover. It is quite easy
at a basic level once you understand key concepts. You
can also view tutorials online to indulge into the slightly
more complex techniques that Photoshop has to offer. I
will be able to view tutorials online that help me match
the contents of my magazine with concepts specific to my
genre, such as adding grain to my image to give it a more
edgy teenage look.
S However, if I am using Photoshop on the PC’s, it is likely
that the program will crash at some point so I must be
sure to save my work.

15. WIX
S This is the tool that I will use to build my website
with. It is a free and easy to use online tool that
allows my coursework to be presented in a much
more appealing way. I am motivated to use this
platform as it encourages me to develop my skills in
web building and design. I think this is important to
my genre as the audience for teen thriller is teenage,
meaning they will expect an aesthetic website if they
are to be encouraged into watching my film.
S However, to use WIX you must be reliant on the
internet as it is not available offline. Also, you must
be conscious not to save your work at the same time
as your partner, otherwise you could both overwrite
their work.