2. Evaluation Overview
This evaluation form is designed to assist you in the evaluation of your projects.
When using this form it is good practice to:
• Use appropriate terminology.
• Stay concise and focus on key points.
• Evaluate and analyse your statements.
• Focus on judgements about work rather than telling a story of how it was made.
Please find the grading matrix here to help you assess you are working at the right level.
Level 3 Extended Diploma Grading Matrix - https://bit.ly/2Jnqj3v
3. Project Overview
IN THIS SECTION YOU WILL OUTLINE THE AIM OF THE PROJECT/TASK AND GIVE
AN OVERVIEW OF THE ACTIVATES YOU UNDERTOOK TO COMPLETE IT.
4. What was the theme of your project
and what attracted you to it?
The theme of my project was to produce a documentary style video taking the
audience on a journey of the different types and styles of graffiti along the Leeds to
Liverpool canal. The topic of graffiti is controversial and often seen as a crime as
opposed to an art form. My project aimed to provide information to allow the
audience to make an informed decision on how they feel about the topic.
I was attracted to this topic as it is something I am interested in and have personal
views on. I enjoy looking at, photographing and producing graffiti and wanted to
share this.
5. What research did you undertake and
how did it help develop your project?
I am pleased on how my research went. My primary research was on existing documentary style videos which
interviewed a subject matter expert, a bit like a talking heads type video. The video research gave me
inspiration and some ideas for my own video, the creative styles, themes, and other aesthetics of them and I
looked and how they worked together and what they did well and not so well. The research helped develop
my project as It gave me different structures and styles I can incorporate into my own work. I spent time
researching the different formats for the interview and due to current covid restrictions decided to complete
the interview remotely using a split screen format which was effective. Further research was done on the music
for the video, this is important as it sets the scene from an emotional perspective and helps give the video a
vibe. Also, it was important to cut the music in and out at different times in the video. I also researched the
different types of voice disguises to use. This was something I have no experience in and I needed to hear what
type of disguises were available and what would work best for the video. The final part of research was around
the video shot types, how to film moving objects (such as trains) compared to static objects such as walls.
6. How did you develop and improve
your ideas throughout the project?
My project changed and developed massively from what I originally planned to make. The
research process helped evolve my ideas and decide on what was achievable with the tools
and time I had available to complete the project.
My initial idea was to have a documentary on the styles of graffiti but the interview kind of
messed that up as it was so long, but I didn’t know this at the start. I then changed it to the
interview being the main part and as I show the video, I included my walk down the Leeds
to Liverpool canal.
I noticed that this gives it a more laid-back vibe as more of a podcast with video over it. I
think this worked very well as the interview had to be done remotely. Early feedback was
that it is a bit boring just watching the interview therefore I choose to put video on top of it
and cut to scenes of Graffiti.
Although not my original idea, I am happier with this version as the footage I took would
not have worked for my original project plan.
7. What was the outcome of the
project/task?
The outcome of my project was successful and better than I expected. Although it wasn't
totally for my original idea the changes I made felt right and worked a lot better.
The outcome was a 5-minute documentary style video on graffiti along the Leeds to
Liverpool canal. The project included:
Lots of research and ideas from myself and contributors
Full 5-minute documentary video
Interview with a graffiti writer
Background music using jazz
Lots of graffiti content on trains, bridges, walls etc
8. Personal Response
THIS SECTION WILL EXPLORE YOUR THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS ABOUT THE
EXPERIENCE. THIS WILL HELP GAIN A UNDERSTAND OF HOW YOUR PERSONAL
FEELINGS MAY HAVE IMPACTED THE FINAL OUTCOME.
9. How did you feel about the project
before you started?
At the start of this project, I went into planning quite confident as I had chosen a topic that I am
interested in and have quite a bit of knowledge on. I was also happy that I chose video as a
medium for the project as I am used to taking video footage for personal social media projects, I
enjoy using video and have some experience with basic editing and adding music. I also felt that
I would enjoy the research part of the project as I would travel to big cities (York/Leeds) on the
train to look at Graffiti.
I was also nervous and excited to interview a current Graffiti writer to hear a personal story from
someone who has done a lot of Graffiti over the years.
However, some of my feelings slowly changed as the project progressed. Although I had a clear
plan at the beginning that I was going to follow, this changed as I progressed with the research
and after taking the interview footage. Knowing that my original plan wasn’t going to work
meant I needed to change how the format would be presented, this was a big decision quite far
into the project and meant I had to redo some of the planning tasks. However, I do feel that the
result is good, and I am happy that I made the decision to change even though it was a bit
stressful.
10. What do you think about your project
development and how did it help you to
refine your idea?
Over the course of this project my ideas and development changed massively, in both
positive and negative ways.
The final piece is fairly different to what I had planned, and I truly feel like it was for
the better. The core parts to the content of the project changed as I realized I couldn’t
fit all the information and an interview into 5 mins.
I had to think of ways to refine and reduce the amount of information to include in the
project, I needed to have something shorter and more to the point.
This is where I changed the approach to focus on the walk down the river as this was
easier to fit into the time frame. Also, by cutting out some of the interview questions
I could get all my messages and answers and the writers points across better.
11. Did you collaborate on your project or
engage contributors, etc?
Most of the filming, editing and research were all done by myself completely
independently. I guess the main contributor I had for my video was the graffiti writer in
the interview. He really helped the outcome of my project massively as the interview was
the main part of my video.
However, I did ask family and friends for constructive criticism throughout the project.
This feedback was important as it highlighted some things that I hadn’t noticed myself,
for example the type of music in the background, using subtitles on the video to help
understand some of the writers' words.
Also, my sister is a photography student at university and was able to help with ideas on
how to shoot the video to make it more interesting and give the right type of vibe I was
looking for. Also, she was able to advise on background lighting techniques and filming
moving images compared to static ones.
12. How did you feel when the project was
completed and why?
I felt happy when the project was completed because I felt that I had created
something that was engaging and interesting. The feedback I got from friends
and family was also positive which made me feel proud of what I have produced.
I felt relieved that the interview with the writer went well and I was able to get the
information I needed to make the video interesting. I was nervous about doing
the interview at the beginning.
I was also pleased to have completed the project on-time even though some parts
of it felt rushed and I could have spent a lot more time working on the edits etc.
13. Evaluating the
project
IN THE PREVIOUS SECTIONS, YOU HAVE BEEN COMMENTING UPON THE PROJECT DEVELOPMENT. THE EVALUATION MAY INCLUDE SOME SIMILAR INFORMATION BUT IT WILL ALSO INCLUDE
CRITICAL COMMENT.
AN EVALUATION MUST INCLUDE INFORMATION ABOUT THE GOOD AND BAD POINTS OF THE PROJECT AND IT IS IMPORTANT TO BE HONEST. FINALLY, YOU SHOULD MAKE A JUDGMENT
ABOUT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE SUCCESS OF THE PROJECT
14. What were the good points about the project/task and
what did you learn from them? [try and think of at least 3,
more if possible]
1. The first good point during my project was the location shoots to get the clips for the video. Having the video tips
from a contributor to the project before doing the shoots meant that they were good quality and up to the standards I
wanted. I learnt that shooting video on location takes a lot longer that I thought. Finding the right locations for
taking footage is difficult, especially as some of the locations were not easy to get to. This also meant that the light
was fading at the end of the day which made me rush some of the footage.
2. Interview. The interview was another good part as the person I interviewed gave good answers and was helpful. They
had a lot of information and gave exactly what I wanted to get although it was a shame to be on call instead of in real
life. It helped having the questions available before the interview to give the write a chance to have some answers. I
learnt that preparing the interview like this meant that we had few out takes where one of us messed up.
3. Overall production. Although there were ups and downs throughout the whole project the final video was good and
got good feedback. All the clips worked very nicely and when combined with the background music and interview
questions ended up looking to a decent standard. I learnt that it takes more time than originally thought to produce a
video documentary, there are lots of things that can go wrong or don’t work as planned so having to make lots of
changes means taking a lot longer.
15. What challenges did you face and how did
you respond to them? Try and think of at
least 3...
1. Not enough content. It was difficult to get enough content that would be suitable for the video without spending
more time. Some of the locations were difficult to get access to, or I would be waiting ages for a train shot which
would mean the light faded. I had to go out on location several times, this was expensive getting the train to Leeds
and York.
2. Interviewee couldn’t meet in person. Due to covid restrictions and logistics it wasn’t possible to meet the writer in
person. This was a shame as the video would have been different having both in the same shot. Also, it would have
been nice to have the writer do his tag on a wall in real time. Fortunately, I had many different options to complete
the interview remotely using google meet, zoom or teams etc.
3. Couldn’t get an interviewee initially. This was a major challenge as the whole project plan was to include an interview
with a current writer. I only know a few graffiti writers and it seemed that they were not happy to be interviewed for
a video, I guess they were worried that they may be seen as criminals or that the video may get views from other
crews or something. I was really worried about this but persisted in finding someone who would be interviewed. I
agreed they could cover their face and that I would disguise their voice.
16. What were the negative points about the
experience, and what could you have done
to improve them?
A negative point during this project was getting rejected by 2 possible interviewees this was
annoying and I wish I sent more out at the start to guarantee an interview quickly.
Another negative point was when I felt I didn’t have enough clips near the end of
production this could have been improved if I had planned more location shoots in different
locations.
The quality of the video and sound for the interview was also a negative point for this
project. The interview was done over a video link. It would be good to do an interview in
person next time and to have better lighting and sound quality using a microphone.
17. How would you rate the final piece? [think along
the lines of poor, satisfactory, good or
excellent...justify your rating]
I think it would be a satisfactory or at a push a good. The reason for this rating is that
I think the final production works quite well and achieves many of the things I wanted
to achieve before I started the project.
There are quite a few things I could have improved if I had a bit more time, for
example gathering more content perhaps from other locations. Although I feel the
video flows, I think more time could have been spent editing the final version and
perhaps experimenting with different effects.
18. What is your opinion of your final piece?
What elements do you think are successful
and why?
I thought the outcome of my video was decent, I created a documentary style video on
a controversial topic which included video images, music and an interview with a
graffiti writer.
The format of the video clips playing over the interview was successful and kept the
viewers engaged both audibly and visually. The interview with the graffiti writer was
also successful, they gave good, long answers which were informative and easily
enabled me to produce a full 5-minute production.
I also think the clips of graffiti was a success as they were all clean and in high quality.
The freight train clip that I wasn’t expecting to pass a nice addition to the clips
although I had to clip it on my phone.
The process and editing of the music was also fitting and I really like the outcome
overall.
19. How well did your project apply the
characteristics and conventions of the
medium you worked in?
The medium I worked in was film and although I created a short film, it seems quite
fitting. Working with film means I was able to make a documentary style project
which included video, audio and music.
The interview format also included parts of me talking and explaining what is going to
happen, this helped the film flow and keep the viewers engaged and able to follow
along.
I’m not sure the project would have been as successful if I had chosen a different
medium to achieve the same thing, for example, a book or magazine.
20. How did you design appeal to your
target audience?
My target audience was quite broad, although was more aimed at the younger
generation such as late teens. The main people I would target were into graffiti which
was easy as the whole video was on graffiti.
The format of the film would have appealed to the target audience as most young
people watch a lot of video content and in some cases prefer to view video content than
any other medium.
The music I chose was ‘lofi jazz’ which again would appeal to my target audience
(although perhaps older teens)as this type of music is popular with them. Also, the
number of clips I added would also appeal to my audience as there is enough content to
keep them engaged and watching. The interview format was also a good way to engage
with the audience and keep them interested, particularly if they had never heard a graffiti
writers' story before.
21. Analysis
IN THIS SECTION, YOU WILL FOCUS ON THE DETAILS OF THE PROJECT AND MAKE SENSE OF
WHAT HAPPENED IN THE PROJECT. YOU SHOULD DEMONSTRATE HOW YOUR DECISIONS
INFORMED THE PROJECT DEVELOPMENT AND THE SUCCESS OF THE OUTCOME.
22. In what ways was the overall project a
success?
It was an overall success as the outcome produced a 5-minute film containing the content,
messages, video and music that flowed, told a story and engaged the audience.
Also, all the posative feedback I got and self-reflections I’ve done I really like this project now
which in my view shows that the project was a success.
The final production turned out better than I first thought, it is something that I am proud to
have produced. Also, the skills and personal development achievements have also helped make
the project a success from my own perspective even if some of the audience didn’t like it.
23. What elements did not go well and
why?
Finding a suitable interviewee didn’t go well at first. I have several lined up but let
me down at the last minute, either because they were not available when needed, or
were not happy about being filmed.
Trying to get enough content for the video. This didn’t go well as it was difficult to
find as much content as I needed to easily fill a 5-minute video. I would have liked
to have gone to other locations but I didn’t have the time and money to do this.
The quality of the video and sound for the interview was not great as the interview
was done over a video link.
24. How did your skills develop during the portfolio?
[remember, skills aren't just technical, remember
things like organisation, time management,
communication, etc as well]
There was slight improvements to some of my skills through this project when compared to
the first project I made. One of the biggest improvements was time management as when I
started this project it was shockingly bad but as the project developed and towards the end
it got a lot better. Time management is a good skill to have and something I will need in
future projects.
My technical skills with filming and editing improved as I got more comfortable doing both
also the confidence of being on screen improved as I had another part in this video
(interviewer).
Communication skills were also improved during the interview as I wanted the interviewee
so say certain things so I asked certain questions to influence that. Overall, this project
improved a lot of skills I can use and work on further in future projects.
25. What meaning and messages did you
want to convey and were you
successful?
The main message I wanted to convey in this project was for people to understand that
graffiti is a form of art and should not be considered as a crime. I also wanted to convey that
the people that create graffiti are talented artists and human.
I think the film provided some beautiful graffiti scenes in Leeds which I hope showed that it
is a form of art.
Through the interview I feel like the writer was the one giving the viewers a personal account
of the story behind a writer and that what he creates is another form of art and he is not just
doing it with criminal intent.
I don’t think the interviewee explained enough about how writers are hated and are seen as
criminals instead of artists trying to express themselves.
I am not sure that this video had enough meaning and messages, perhaps I could improve
this on a new version in the future.
26. What feedback did you get from your
peers and viewings?
"I like the theme of this video as it is easy to follow“
"The structure works quite nicely I like the way you played clips over the interview.“
"I like the intro jazz as it is very fitting to the graffiti style.“
"The title is fitting to the video as in most of the clips you can see the river. One bit of criticism
however is that it’s a canal and not a river.“
“I couldn’t quite hear everything from the interviewee, but I used Youtube subtitles to see the
words. That worked.”
27. What would you do differently in the
future and why?
For a future project there are a few things I would probably do differently.
1. First being if there is an interview focus that for the first bit of filming because if u are including an
interview that will take up the most time in a project and it is a lot easier to edit other clips in round that
then it is adding it at the end.
2. Second would be to get more clips from more locations. For this project I got around 172 clips for a 5
min video. I found that I was still struggling to fill that time. I think I underestimated just how much
content is needed to easily create a 5-minute video.
3. Thirdly I think I would have tried to create some of the video in black and white or experiment with
different types of filters. These techniques are very effective and look good on some of the videos and
documentaries I watched during my research.
4. Lastly, I would create a more detailed schedule of planned activities and stick to the schedule rather
than change my mind and keep experimenting with different ideas. I found that I struggled with time, and
this may have affected the final production of the video.
28. What knowledge have you gained that would help
you in the future to improve your project? Also,
what knowledge from academic literature and
professionals has helped and why?
I gaind a bit of knowledge going through this project the first thing I learnd was that
you need a lot of content (e.g. short clips) to fill in a big amount of video. Having 170
clips of graffiti with an interview on top was only just enough.
Also, the fact that the interview should have been done first and the rest of the film
should have been based around that.
I gained knowledge of how to shoot moving objects in the film and also how the
different lighting affects the film and overall quality. Using different exposures on the
camera and the use of filters can make the quality of the film better. However, this is
very time consuming and more time would be needed to improve the quality of the
video as well as using professional software.
29. Action Plan
THIS SECTION WILL IDENTIFY WHAT YOU WOULD DO DIFFERENTLY IN THE
FUTURE AND IDENTIFY WAYS YOU COULD DEVELOP.
30. If you were making a similar project in
the future, what would you do
differently?
The main things I would do different if I made a similar project in the future would be the following:
Create a better plan, have a detailed set of activities with timings that I followed to get the tasks
done. I would also structure the process of creating the final video better, perhaps creating different
sections which I could stitch together for the final edit.
Allow more time for research and for getting content clips on location. I would perhaps allow for
several location trips at different times of the day and week.
Get more content. I would make sure that I got a lot more content than the clips I got for this project.
I would maybe get content using other medium such as photos.
I would also try to do an interview in person and not over a video call. It would be better to have
more control over the lighting and sound for the interview and maybe give better direction to the
interviewee.
31. How could you develop your skills for future
projects? Please identify the appropriate resources
and courses. For example, webpages, tutorials,
books, short courses and qualifications.
There are many things I could do to develop my skills further with creating more profession documentary style videos.
Practice with production (filming and editing), there are loads of free tutorials and web pages now days that can help with all parts
of filming and editing. For example:
https://subjectguides.york.ac.uk/skills/video
For making more professional looking interview videos remotely, there are lots of web applications (although some of them are
quite expensive) such as:
https://vocalvideo.com/
I could also spend more time using a digital camera and perhaps recording video blogs. This could be using my iPhone and some
software to create the vlogs. By doing this in my spare time, I would get better and quicker and creating videos with more style
and character.
If I decided to do more videos, I could do a course on using final cut pro software, the Udemy website has information on these
types of courses and qualification although I am not sure if this is something I would want to do
https://www.udemy.com/course/finalcutproxcourse/
32. What personal attributes could you
develop to ensure you are working at a
professional level?
There are loads of personal attributes which I could develop if I wanted to continue on a professional
level. A few examples:
Confidence and leadership skills to keep manage the project and all of the contributors.
Develop more understanding and technical skills on using equipment such as video recording,
digital cameras, editing software, lighting rigs, sound studio software, microphones etc.
A good working ethic and discipline to work on my own and staying self-motivated.
Be more creative with ideas and how to express them. Look at lots of different media types to see
what I like and don’t like and take inspiration from. This can be useful and maybe influence future
projects.
