After completing their foundation portfolio, the author learned a lot about technologies and editing techniques that will improve their future projects. They used a Sony Handycam camera to shoot HD quality video and learned about proper framing and the importance of different shots. For editing, they initially used Adobe Premiere but found Windows Movie Maker easier to use. Through editing their opening sequence, they picked up skills like fading, lighting adjustments, overlapping scenes, and adding text and effects. Overall, their editing abilities improved and they now have a better understanding of camera work and the editing process.

1. What have you learnt about
technologies from the process of
constructing this product?

2. After my foundation portfolio I can confidently say that I
have learnt a lot about technologies and different editing
techniques that will make my next projects even better.
From the preliminary task, where I learnt how camera
shots and editing techniques are so closely linked, to the
opening sequence I have produced I have had a better
grasp over editing and camera angles and shots over the
time.
Preliminary Task Nowhere to be found

3. To film each of these I used the Sony Handycam (Sony hrd x550).
This camera was user-friendly which proved to be very helpful
for beginners like myself. This camera enabled me to shoot HD
quality videos which was another great advantage that added
merit to my product. With the use of Sony Handycam I was able
to learn about correct framing of shots and the importance of it.
The zoom button also proved very useful as I could get two
different shot and attach them later while editing the video as
one continuous scene. This saved time and made me handle
everything at the shoot efficiently. The videos shot can also
viewed instantly, I viewed a few shots on spot while shooting to
know whether I am on the right track and can point out my
mistakes if any.

4. I also made use of a tripod in order to give my film opening a
mature look and make it seem more professional. Since there
was a need to have a steady camera during the interviews of
the suspects the use of the tripod became a must in order to
avoid shaky and wobbly camera. However I believe that it
would have been better if I also arranged for a dolly. The shots
where the detective make his entry and the camera is moving
along with the movement of the detective, the camera seems
a bit shaky in those scenes and a dolly would have avoided that
shakiness. The lighting was fine at all the places I shot
therefore I did not feel the urge to use extra lighting.

6. For the Preliminary Task I used Adobe Premier to edit the
footage, however I had recently tried Windows Movie Maker
and found it much more user-friendly. Therefore I decided
that I will use Movie Maker to edit the opening sequence I
had shot. I learnt about various techniques and effects to
form continuity such as fading in, altering the
lighting, overlapping sequences, avoiding jumps and blurring
the motion. I along with some of these also used the black
and white effect to reflect the past and added text in my
video to make my opening look like one. Over the time my
editing skills have bettered and I now have a better grasp
over editing, about which I was hesitant in the very
beginning.

7. Along with editing softwares and cameras the internet and
websites such as youtube and IMBD have been very helpful. I
did all my research through the internet of course, regarding
genres and different types of movies and their convention and
stereotypes. Without the internet producing a quality product
would have been impossible. My laptop has all the storyborads
and scripts saved which saved my time and made my work more
secure. I used royalty free websites to download suitable music
for my film. With the help of Movie Maker I was able to match
the music with the different situations of the film.
However I still believe that the editing softwares are limited to
quantity of effects. There is no freedom to create your own
effects and experiment in Movie Maker but nonetheless this
simple software catered well to my needs and wants as an
editor of a film.