1. Question 7
Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you
feel you have learnt in the progression from it to
the full product?

2. Beginning: Preliminary task
• From the preliminary task, I believe I
have learnt a lot about what it takes to
construct a film and its not easy. When
we were told to do our preliminary task,
me Deon and Richard (my group
members) filmed it straight without no
storyboard. It came out good, and then
we drew up the storyboard afterwards
which was a smart move but no a good
move to make when doing the main task.

3. Using Technology
• But before filming we took
pictures for the
preliminary task which we
shot using a blackberry
Smartphone camera which
was easy to work with
because the whole group
had one which meant we
were familiar with the
technology. The phone was
also used to film the task.
I learnt what match on
action, shot reverse shot
and 180 degree rule was
which was new for me and
the preliminary task gave
me a little insight into what
filming will be like.

4. Photos from the Preliminary

5. Planning
• Because we never planned properly in the preliminary by drawing the storyboard before
filming, I learnt that its essential to create a storyboard so it acts as a guideline for your
final product. We learned from our mistakes and constructed a storyboard for our main task
which was after we came up with a storyline.
• The storyboard we created helped a lot when we started filming because we knew exactly
what we were doing and didn‟t miss a scene. I would say in terms of props, location &
costume, they have improved a lot and its mostly due to careful planning and research.
Preliminary
storyboards

6. • As for the main task the location also
had to be significant to the purpose of
the genre and what you‟re trying to
show. We used a forest, police station
and kitchen, which were effective with
the storyline. So personally I would
say I‟ve learnt a lot about how to plan
and research into certain things in
order to create a film. We didn‟t even
shoot a whole movie but just creating
those three minutes was hard work so
I cant imagine the amount of effort
that directors, writers, the whole film
crew experience from beginning to the
final product.
• With the costume in the preliminary,
it didn‟t really portray anything and
didn‟t have much meaning behind it but
when doing the main task the costumes
worn by each character had meaning
and it symbolised many things which is
essential in any film whatever the
genre. In terms of location we could of
shot the task in any room we wanted as
long as there was something the actors
could sit on.

7. Actors/extras
• Casting was a problem to us in the beginning
because we originally was going to be all three of
us in the film but our teacher said its better if
we use other people so we could show our filming
skills more. This then left us with the question
“who will be our actors?”. Richard had already
been suggesting Abiola who played our antagonist
but the girl or boy who would play our protagonist
was not decided yet. It was originally going to be
me but we changed that plan and last minute
Jenessa offered to be the protagonist so we
accepted as time was running out.
For the detective we used Richard because
he was the best choice, and we asked fellow
student Kelechi to be the extra detective
sitting in the office as shown on the right.
For the last scene we asked some of the
students if they wanted to be extras to fill
up the scene and they said yes, so we used a
few people. Picking actors to fit the plot and
scenes is not as easy as it sounds but for our
opening it was quite simple

8. The extras who will play Mandy our
protagonist friends. They fit the
scene well because she's suppose to
be at home on a casual day „chilling‟
with a few friends when she
receives her letter from the
stalker/attacker.

9. Editing/Planning
• If I‟m honest I don't think our final product was that
great because I feel there's more we could of added to
it or things we could of changed to make it much better.
For starters I would say timing was a problem because
there were certain things we had to rush in so little
time. Although we were given 2weeks to shoot, we
wanted to make sure our blogs were up to date and
make sure we‟ve planned everything through before
filming.
• Timing with the editing also proved an issue because we
only got two days editing which was done in lesson time
so in total it was 10hours to edit. We never met the
deadlines of editing when we had two days but when it
came to blogging I met the deadlines of the task I was
set. We carried on editing though up until the deadlines
for the whole project.
• I‟ve had experience before with finishing a project
within 1o hours because I took art GCSE and I know its
not enough time. So I knew editing would be a problem
form before we even started filming and I mentioned it
may times to the group. Because of timing, we had to
finish editing another time but we got it done and
finished our final product

10. Planning: Blogger & Youtube
• We also used blogger a
social networking site, to
do our planning and
research. This site was
quite tricky to use at
first but after blogging
once or twice it became
an easy task
• I uploaded some videos
to Youtube and then sent
it to blogger e.g. the
preliminary task before
editing, and the video
diaries. This was because
one or two videos were
not uploading properly so
I had to think of another
way to make it happen.
On the right is a
screenshots of Blogger &
my posts

11. Editing: Software, websites etc…
Screen shot of me
editing the preliminary
task on imovies which I
then uploaded to
Blogger with the final
cut of the preliminary.
We each did our own
separate editing.

12. Screen shots: Main task
Screen shots from when we were
editing on the iMACs using imovies
software to edit the main task. The
editing is the tricky part because we
were doing trial and error to see how
to use certain effects and transitions
etc which was a good learning process.
It let me know what to expect in A2 so
now I have an insight into how it works
so maybe I can get through editing
quicker.

13. Team work?
• Overall I think group because we are a
effort could of team and if we want
improved because to get good grades
The team
there were times we have to say how
when I felt like it we feel whether it
was just me and hurts feelings or not.
Richard doing all the So were not only
work but then we‟d doing it for individual
talk to Deon and tell reasons but to help
him what we expect each other progress
from him. for when and if they
• I feel like take it on into A2.
communication could
of improved between
the group and certain
group members could
of done more in the
filming process. But I
did learn to voice my
opinions more

14. Overall
• Looking back at the
preliminary task to the
final product, I think I
have progressed in • The equipment such as the
terms of confidence and camera and the tripod were
this has allowed me to troublesome but hopefully in
see what I‟m capable of A2 we‟ll get better equipment
if I put in hard work. or maybe my group will use
Comparing the quality of
the camera I used in the our own equipment. I've
preliminary to the learnt a lot and I will take my
quality of the digital experience and use it to my
camera I used in the advantage next time because
main task, I can tell I have gained confidence in
there's a huge my own judgement and use of
improvement.
technology and skills.
Practice makes perfect and
• Hopefully in A2 my confidence with using that‟s what I‟ll keep doing so
there will be fewer mistakes
digital cameras will be better and I‟ll have a
and issues.
better experience and enjoy it more. On the
other hand these events have given me an
insight into the professional media industry
and the issues they face within. In addition,
I‟ve experienced the editing software on the
iMACs, but I‟m still not fond of using it
because I‟m an amateur when it comes to it.
Furthermore, I‟ve learnt how to use sound,
Mise-en-scene and editing to create a certain
atmosphere in the thriller genre, and how to
make use of your surrounding because every
part counts when creating suspense and
engaging the target audience.