Evaluation Question 4

1. Group 15: Daniel Fotheringham

2. 
 When creating the film there were several elements
we had to plan in order for this film to be successful
and entertaining for our audience. Through 2
months of planning and researching the film and its,
we were able to produce and use media technologies
effectively to make our film successful in numerous
ways.
Constructing, Planning and Researching ‘A Truncated
Parable of Complete Normality’

3. 
 One of the first technologies we used was blogger as we felt by
using this then we could create a platform for research and
views on what we felt could work for the film. By creating the
blog, we could understand everyone’s viewpoint opinion to the
film as well as post information which would relate to the
filming and ideas on what story we could create. We designed
this with a computer and work style type of blog to help the
audience reflect the job of David and his monotonous lifestyle.
We also felt that the site would be useful for us as it was very
accessible and straight forward to use for us to navigate around
to bed able to see the opinions for the film as well as the site
being free and we didn’t need to finance and fund the blog in
order for our research to be clear and transparent.
Blogger
Screenshot of our blog

4. 
 Another simple but effective technology that was used
whilst researching the genre and the codes and
conventions of psychological drama was the internet as it
was easy to access, free to access at any time and we were
able to find more recent examples of films from that genre
to be able to understand how a psychological drama
works and how it differs from the genre of psychological
thriller. This help us as we were able to understand and
make our own interpretation of the genre in which we
could construct and create our film to suit around how
we wanted the film to look and how it would suit our
audience.
The Internet

5. 
 When we researched and used different sites from the
internet, we decided to use YouTube to help us find video
examples of different films including both mainstream
and independent films and it was a free website which
meant we could constantly visit the website in order to
get ideas on what we would be able to do and what our
film could potentially look like. This helped us as we
were able to embed videos onto the blog bringing a visual
and modern side to the research and planning of the film
as well as making the blog easier to understand. This was
tackled effectively as we were able to show a new side to
the blog and to our progress in preparation for filming
and could give a multimedia approach to the film.
YouTube

6. 
 When we started planning and creating our scripts, we decided to use
Celtx to create the script because the script was able to help format out a
proper film script including dialogue, location and action. This helped us
as we were able to give a clear indication on what would be in the shots so
we could get a clear indication on how our story would work. As part of it,
we were able to save the work and it wouldn’t delete the format we had
put in the previous session. However, unlike Microsoft Word where we
could copy and paste the format onto another platform (like Blogger) we
would have to take screenshots of it as we were unable to keep the format
by copying and pasting the scripts but we were alarmed about that before
using it which is why we were able to use it effectively as we gained a
knowledge about Celtx and we were able to contain the problems that had
occurred. Due to this, we used Celtx to help us with creating the script for
the film and for our radio trailer as we were able to help us and to make
our scripts easier to understand.
Celtx
Screenshot
of our film
script
Screenshot
of our
radio
trailer
script

7. 
 One of the other technologies we decided to use was
Google Drive to help store online documents such as our
questionnaires. We chose to use this as by creating a
Gmail account then it would mean that everything would
be stored underneath that account and we would be able
to access the documents we had created. As part of this,
we then decided to help use questionnaires which were
stored under Google Drive and we could format our
questions in the style of a questionnaire by being able to
give multiple choice, paragraph texts and many more in
order to help the audience understand our questions and
express their views on certain questions such as how they
felt lighting benefitted or didn’t benefit the film and what
type of music we could use for the film.
Google Drive

8. 
 When we started filming, we decided in order for our film to
look professional we decided to use the HD-1000 camera to get
a professional look to the film as well being able to make our
shots not look as shaky or handheld. Whilst the camera was
heavier and would take more time to set up, this helped us as
we were able to make the shots seem professional and exciting
as well as easier to not lose footage due to the fact that
everything had to be shot on tape. However, the downside to
using this was, unlike the Panasonic HDC-HS80 we used last
year, it took more time to load the footage and we had to be
careful not to play over our footage as when we used the
Panasonic HDC-HS80 cameras in AS, they had an internal
memory which meant that our footage could not get played
over whilst these cameras could do that if we were not careful.
HD-1000 Camera

9. 
 One of the other technologies we decided to use for our film was a Go-Pro Steadicam
which would help film a crane shot for our film. Originally, we tried using a selfie stick for
the crane shot as we wanted something that was accessible and easy to use but it didn’t
work as easy as we would have wanted it to be as it picked up a lot of sound and the shots
originally looked unsteady and not framed as well as we wanted our film to be. We then
decided to think about the idea of using a Steadicam and decided to ask a friend we knew
to borrow her Steadicam. After seeing the practice shots that we used with the Steadicam,
we decided to include it into our film as whilst it isn’t as accessible as we may have wanted
it to be, it helped minimise the wind sound and was able to keep it balanced and straight
within the film. This was due to the fact that the GoPro is used normally for running shots
and due to that then we were able to minimise any shaky movement that originally
occurred in the shot.
GoPro Steadicam
To see our shots
that we used for
the Steadicam
then please use
this link:
GoPro Shots

10. 
 When editing and creating the film, we decided to use Final Cut Express to help
us as we had used this software in the previous year which had made it easier
to create a film and use it as the software would store all the shots we had
uploaded onto the project as well as to continue to upload shots onto the
project. As well as this, the software gave us the opportunity to change the
colour in the shot and also gave us the opportunity to put text within the shot
to help us with title sequences and also indicate ideas that could occur within
the film. By using this, we were able to help make the filming and editing
process a bit easier as we had used this software before which meant we had a
good knowledge about Final Cut.
Final Cut Express
Screenshot
from our
film

11. 
 When we worked on the film, we decided to use after effects
which is a AppleMac program which helps add extra effects
onto a shot that might not be possible to be put on by the
camera or on Final Cut Express. We decided to use this as a big
part of our film was to have glitches within the film and by
using After Effects then not only did it make it accessible but
also a bit easier as everything we needed was on there such as a
colour changer and video settings so we could mess around
with the footage and hint the idea of glitches and danger to the
film. Whilst it was useful, we did find it hard though at first to
use this technology at first because there were elements that
were not clear or understandable and we had to use tutorials
from YouTube to help us as elements of After Effects were very
hard and advanced.
After Effects
A shot in our
film before
using After
Effects,
After using
After Effects

12. 
 One of the other technologies we decided to use was Photoshop as we felt it
could help us create posters in the format of a film poster which meant that we
could help make the film more believable and professional. This was hard for
me as I had never used this new technology which meant that I had to learn the
functions of Photoshop and also why it could play a significant role in helping
us create a film poster. We understood that by using this it could help us format
the text by using fonts like steeltongs which helped us write the small text in
which the company gives credit to people who have helped create the film in
any way. By using this then we were able to make the process for making the
poster simpler and easier to format
Photoshop

13. 
 Prezi and Slideshare were two online websites which
we could help post and publish online Powerpoints
to research the genre and evaluate the film we had
created. By using this then we were able to write our
thoughts down and decide on how long the
presentations could be as well as both of the websites
being free and available to access anywhere at any
time.
Prezi and Slideshare

14. 
 Overall, I felt as a team we were able to use our
technologies in an exciting and sophisticated way. By
doing that then it made our process for film ‘A
Truncated Parable of Complete Normality’ easier to
film and edit. We felt as a group that by being to
obtain the knowledge of the technology as well, it
made our time very cost-effective and we were able
to get a lot of filming and technological jobs done for
preparing, planning and filming and evaluating the
film we had created.
Conclusion