The document discusses the development of the author's production skills from preliminary tasks through creating an opening sequence. In prelim tasks, the author learned camera techniques like different shot types and editing software. These skills were applied in the opening sequence, which used fast pacing and match cuts to create meaning and mystery. Cinematography, lighting, sound, and mise-en-scene also helped develop characters and their backgrounds. Pre-production involved scheduling, storyboards, and overcoming challenges like difficult shots and locations. Overall, the author's cinematography, lighting, and editing skills improved the most.

1. Creative Critical Reflection 3
How have your skills developed from the Prelim tasks until now?
o What prelimtasks did you do? What did you learn?
Prelim tasks included learning about different types of shots, as well as how to use the
equipment to shoot them effectively. For example, I learnt how to take long shots and
mid/medium shots using a DSLR camera and a tripod and how to use a shoulder mount for a
tracking shot, as well as steadiness. Furthermore, I also learnt how to use the editing software
Adobe Premiere Pro.
o How did you use these techniques/skills in the final production?
The three types of shots mentioned are demonstrated clearly in our opening sequence.
Moreover, all the techniques I learnt in the prelim tasks helped me greatly with my overall
production skills and helped increase the quality at which the final version of the opening
sequence turned out to be.
o Creating meaning through editing:
We used mostly fast-paced editing in our opening sequence. The tempo of our shots was fairly
short to create a tension and to make sure boredom or losing interest/focus was avoided.
Though some of the shots were edited in slow motion, the length of the individual shots still
remained short in spite of that. We also used the Kuleshov effect to create meaning through
editing. Using match on action techniques, we were able to create meaning and sense of
mystery through the scenes. For example, the match on action scene of Lady G drinking her
tea. In this scene, the attention was focused on the prominent cup the tea was in, as well as the
phone call that Lady G gets from ‘Unknown’. This meant that we were able to effectively create
enigma codes, as well as present the wealthiness of Lady G through the details on the cup that
we were able to follow by a shot from a different angle of her drinking the tea. This meant that
the audience associated the cup of tea and the phone call from ‘Unknown’ with a sense of worry
or ambiguity, according to the Kuleshov effect. The fast-paced editing also contributed to
establishing the timeline and the speed of the events in which the opening sequence occurred
in. This meant that the audience was able to distinguish through the editing that the events did
not occur over a long timeline, but rather possibly over a few days.
o Creating meaning through cinematography:
The use of different angles and types of shots helped establish and portray the characters the
way we intended for them to be portrayed, as well as set the scene and create tension and
mystery. For example, the use of a shoulder mount to create an unsteady tracking shot allowed
us to heighten the running effect in the shot Lady G running, create tension, establish the plot

2. and create a backstory for the characters. Lighting also aided with this process as we were able
to use high and low key lighting to create a meaning to the scenes and the individual shots.
Most of Lady G’s scenes are filmed in either high-key lighting or natural lighting, aside from her
death scene, which is illuminated by floor lights to focus the attention on her. As a juxtaposition,
Roy’s scenes are all filmed in low-key lighting. The juxtaposition serves to illuminate the class
divide between the two characters and therefore create an enigma of the reason of the murder.
Moreover, the lighting reflects the contrast between the darkness and illumination of their
different backgrounds. Lady G was born into wealth and therefore has a ‘lighter’ background,
whilst Roy was born into poverty and had to face deprivations his whole life. This subtly adds
more to the characters’ back stories.
o Creating meaning through sound:
The soundtrack also played an important role in the representation of gender and class divides
in the opening sequence. The music used for Lady G’s scenes is dreamy and angelic, whilst the
music used for Roy’s scenes, in contrast is eerie and much darker. The only instance where
Lady G’s background music is similar, if not identical, to Roy’s is when she is running,
presumably away from him. This suggests that in the moments where she was running away
from him she almost got to step into his shoes and get an understanding of what it is like to live
his life, and perhaps that was his goal; the audience is left to wonder why the music is different
for the running scene, whether it is to build tension, to represent the gender or social divide or
both.
o Importance of mise en scene:
Firstly, different settings were used for contrast of status. For example, Lady G’s (the victim’s)
scenes are all filmed in more extravagant settings, such as the 5 star hotel and the fashion
avenue of a mall (which consists of high-street fashion shops). Whilst Roy’s (the murderer’s) are
all filmed in dark, ambiguous settings, such as alleyways. Moreover, the costumes and props
also serve to further emphasise the class divide between our two characters. Our target
audience should be easily able to tell the different statuses of the characters through they the
way they are dressed and the props used. This is also illustrated in the shopping bags/props
used for Lady G’s mall scenes, as well as the fur coat added to her costume in the hotel scenes.
This makes it easier for the audience to identify which social group she belongs to.
How did your production skills develop during the pre-production stage?

3. Through the pre-production stage, I learnt how to create a production schedule, storyboards,
scripts, auditions, location scouts and plan props and costumes. I also learnt how to use all of
them effectively to make the post-production stage smoother and more planned. I learnt how to
use the website Celtx to create scripts and use them during filming. Moreover, I also learnt how
to create call sheets to make filming days more organised for the crew and the cast.
o Did anything not go to plan?
Many things did go to plan, which can only be expected in production and pre-production. For
example, it was much more difficult to film a panning shot of Lady G dead than we had originally
anticipated. It was not easy to shoot a panning shot free-hand without a shoulder mount whilst
trying to maintain lighting and quality simultaneously. This meant that we had to change the
setting of the shot from the abandoned house (which also proved difficult during location
scouting) to a hotel, not use manual lighting and instead rely on the lighting available at the
hotel and also remove the red makeup on her face that was meant to mimic blood to increase
realism. We had originally planned to have 1-2 filming days. However, we ended up having to
film the scenes over three-four different days as it was also difficult to make sure all the actors,
as well as equipment were present over the span of two days. Furthermore, location scouting
was much more difficult than we’d anticipated, which meant that we had to film at different
location than we’d already planned. What helped us overcome our organisation problems was
planning ahead of time and therefore accounting for things that could go wrong and having
solutions planned for them.
Overall do you believe your production skills have developed?
o How?
I believe that my cinematography, lighting and editing production skills have developed most.
For example, I am now able to use lighting to create meaning through using different lighting
techniques such as three point lighting and high and low key lighting. This is demonstrated
clearly in the opening sequence, as well as the production and preliminary tasks.