Evaluation Question 6 and 7)
6) What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
7) Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?
1. 6) What have you learnt about technologies fromthe processof constructing this
product?
As part of the research and planning, one of my tasks included having to create a
preliminary task. Due to the fact that I was incredibly inexperienced when it came to
filming, the camera I used was the Red Digital SLR Canon Camera EOS 1100D.
Problems occurred throughout filming my preliminary task to the point where I
needed to go and re-film it in order for it to be done properly. I failed to keep my
camera in focus and this lead to an unwanted result. However, I picked up on my
mistakes and knew to always remember the camera was in focus when shooting my
main production.
Throughout shooting my production, the use of camera varied, from the beginning of
filming to the end. At first, I used the Red Digital SLR Canon Camera EOS 1100D in
order to achieve extreme close-up, close-up and establishing shots. My use of
camerawork/filming progressed throughout the time and therefore I had the
opportunity to use a much more advanced camera such as the Canon EOS Digital SLR
1300D, which enhanced the quality of the shots. The use of this camera motivated me
to use a wide range of different shots as I was confident in them coming out the way I
had imagined it to. The problems I faced with the Canon Camera EOS 1100D was that
once filming the scenes and then exporting them onto my computer, the shots would
look out of focus and lacked quality, therefore I preferred the Canon EOS Digital SLR
1300D.
The software used in order to edit my production was Premier Pro. Premier Pro
became an extremely useful tool, as this is where I had brought all of my footage
together and organised them into a suitable sequence ideal for my Horror/Thriller
genre. This software enabled me to include suitable sound effects and manipulate
them into various positions in order to create suspense. Additionally, this software
allowed me to incorporate effects such as ‘warp stabiliser’ in order to stabilise any
shots that were considered a little shaky. An additional effect I discovered and used
within my opening sequence was the ‘Wavy Slide Warp Transition’ that was placed
upon the pictures in order to increase suspense and intensity which trying to
foreshadow an upcoming level of danger.
Once editing my production, I then exported it onto online software called ‘YouTube’.
YouTube is incredibly well-known and consists of a wide range of videos that in
fact allowed me to research a different range of Horror/thriller opening
sequences. I knew YouTube would be the most ideal software to export my
production as I was confident in the fact that people would be able to find it
fairly quickly and easily.
2. The use of Tumblr.com – an online blog administrated the progression of my entire
production. This is because Tumblr enabled me to actively post any updates
that took place within the process of researching, producing an idea and
filming. This helped me to stay organised upon my research and make it easy
for me to refer back to.
7) Looking back at yourpreliminarytask, whatdo you feel youhave learntin the
progressionfrom it to the full product?
From analysing my preliminary task during this stage and compare it to my main
production, I feel that I have learned a lot more now than I did before. My main
production demonstrates better camerawork, editing, sound and mise-en-scene.
The camera use within my preliminary task was very limited and lacked creativity. This
is because throughout this time, I had known very little about the different techniques
that I could have had the opportunity to film. The use of editing was very limited to
the use of a ‘pan’, this is because it I also did not have the experience nor the
knowledge of editing techniques and this meant that it would only be considered
basic.
Additionally, the use of sound was incredibly basic and only limited to non-diegetic
sound. Considering the fact that I was new to using the software Premier Pro, I knew
this would be expected. This is because my preliminary task did not have specific
genre and therefore it was difficult to choose a soundtrack that perfectly fit the
narrative.
However, throughout my main production, it included a wide range of camera
techniques, editing techniques and creativity. For example, extreme close-up shots,
high angle, low angle, pans, slow-motions shots, wide shots and establishing shots.
From conducting research and planning for my opening sequence allowed me to
enhance my creativity greatly. In comparison to my preliminary task, we solely
focused on creating the 180 degree rule rather than being creative and using
techniques that are typically based within successful productions. My main
production consisted of a well thought out unstructured narrative that is typically
conventional within Horror/Thriller genres, in comparison to my preliminary task that
lacked an interesting narrative; my opening sequence consists of an interesting,
appealing and conventional narrative.