The document provides an evaluation of the strengths and areas for improvement in an opening film sequence. Some strengths highlighted include the use of costumes, lighting, and shot types/transitions to suit the thriller genre. Areas identified for improvement include adding establishing shots for clarity, using a tripod for smoother camerawork, improving shot composition, better use of diegetic and non-diegetic sound, and studying film techniques of other directors. The evaluator concludes they need to improve skills in mise-en-scene, sound design, camerawork, and studying exemplar films.
1. KieranGore
Evaluation of production
The strengthsof my productare that the four technical areashave beenconsidered.Forexample,
the use of mise-en-scene isrelevantincostume asitis a sequence baseduponamurderthat
happensatschool so inorder to make that more believableschool uniformsare worn.The use of
lightingsuits the genre of the piece asitisstyledona thrillerhence whythe lightingisnotalways
high-key,allowingthe low-keylightingtocreate suspense. The settingof the openingsequence is
alsoconventional asitissetin a school,howevertomake sure people know thatitisdefinitelya
school I wouldimprove the openingsequencebyaddingan establishingshot,thiswill alsohelpan
audience have abetterunderstandingof where everythingishappening.
The use of cameraworkinthe openingsequence isquiteroughanddisjointedattimesandasa way
of improvingthisIwouldhave made more use of the tripodinfilming,aswell asthisIfeel thatthe
compositionof the shotswasnot amazingand couldbe greatlyimprovedtocreate effectiveshots.
However,the use of shottypesandanglesis a strengthas a range of shots are shownand transition
fromone to the otherfluidlyattimesi.e.whenthe murderinthe sequencewalksdownthe corridor.
The use of soundinmy openingsequence isanareawhere a lotcouldbe improved;thisisbecause
the use of diegeticsounddoesnotfitthe genre asambientsoundcanbe heardin some parts,as
well asthis some of the dialogue doesnotquite make sense andattimesitisquite difficulttohear
whatis beingsaid.However,the use of non-diegeticsoundtowardsthe endof the sequence does
soundmuch betterasit fitsthe sequence well;furthermore there isachange in note duringthe
musicwhichallowsforan easiertransitionintothe credits.
Editinginthe openingsequence isused aswayof providingsome sense incontinuitythroughthe
use of transitions,the dialogue alongwiththe transitionsisone wayinwhichI feel there is
continuityandmeaning.The pace of the editingisalsoquite goodasthere are no longtakesthat
wouldleave the viewerwithlittlesenseof whatisgoingon andeverythingmovesalongfastenough
to keepsomebodywatchingfora periodof time.The use of titles inthe sequence alsoprovides
some ideaof what isgoingon inthe sequence.Tofurtherimprove onthisareaI wouldconsider
lookingintothe differenttechniquesusedbyotherpeople andthe waysinwhichtheyuse effective
editing.
To improve myoverall production skillsIwouldlookatthe workof filmsthathave alreadybeen
createdto geta betterideaof the skillsthatare neededincreatinganeffective product.Iwouldalso
readup on whatis the bestway to filmincertainsettingsinaneffective manner.Ialsoneedto
make much more practical use of mise-en-sceneforthe genre thatI am filmingfor,aswell asthisI
needtoconsiderthe use of soundin the productionsuchas diegeticsound asIfeltthat the diegetic
soundinmy sequence was quite poorlydone andnon-diegeticsound because thisiswhatwill
provide emotionduringthe trailer.
The other main area of improvementIneedtomake is cameraworkas I feel thatthiswasa poor
area inthe sequence thatwasmade,thisisbecause manymore shotscould have beenusedandthe
compositionwasnotveryeffective attimes.