The document discusses what the author has learned about technologies and skills in producing a media project. During planning, the author learned to be more organized and realistic in planning shots and locations. When using equipment like cameras, microphones, and editing software, the author became more proficient. Editing taught the importance of continuity and how to manipulate video. Overall, both preliminary and main tasks improved the author's planning, equipment operation, and editing abilities for media production.

1. What have you learnt about
technologies in the process of
constructing this product?
By MOHAMED RADWAN

2. During the Preliminary: Planning
• The opening part of the planning experience was of course coming up with ideas for the
project. We were offered a choice between producing a 30 second advert combating movie-
piracy or a 2 minute anti-smoking film. As a group we opted for the anti-smoking
film, feeling that it would provide a wider-range of choice due to having a longer running
time. It also allowed us to use more complex ideas. This was a relatively straight forward
decision and didn’t provide much of a challenge. The next stage of the ideas process was
coming up with a full script. This threatened to provide a challenge as there were various
ideas flung around the group however we decided to merge aspects of these ideas to
produce our final ideas and script.
• Next came the actual planning of the filming of our idea. The first, and easiest, part of this
process was the before mentioned script. The next stage was producing a story-board and
organising shots. Whilst we were coming up with ideas our extensive exposure and
experience of motion-picture and television meant we had a clear understanding of what
shots looked good and would work, however the storyboard provided the challenge of
organising these shots, giving them an order, and making them workable on paper. The
organisation of our shots was by far the most difficult part of the whole preliminary task
and has taught us how to plan in a more organised fashion, to know exactly what we want
and make vague ideas more concrete and workable. Being more organised with our ideas
was really our main stumbling block throughout the planning process.
• The most important lesson learnt from the above challenges was that for our main task we
should take more care into having a clear idea for our locations and our requirements for
filming. We should have a more realistic and achievable mise-en-scene in mind as our
resources are not unlimited.

3. During the Preliminary: Equipment
• During the preliminary task myself and the group had to work with loads of
different equipment for both editing and filming. These included
cameras, microphones, tripods, final cut and boom poles. During the
preliminary the group has learnt to become comfortable with the equipment
and learnt how to get the best results from them. An example of this would
be learning to use the movement of the tripod to create more complex and
visually effective camera shots.
• The use of equipment in the preliminary was vital as it allows us to enter
any future tasks with a deeper knowledge of our tools and therefore will be
able to use them effectively.
• During the preliminary task I also learnt the weaknesses and strengths of
cameras and microphones and where they are most effective. For
example, in future should I want a scene heavy in dialect I would prefer an
indoor shoot as the wind interferes with sound whilst outdoors. Without
this piece of knowledge I may have had to present a main task that lacked
professionalism as the quality of my sound would damage the overall
film/video.

4. During the Preliminary: Editing
• During editing I learnt how to fully manipulate video to work the
way I want it, i.e. cutting clips up to create a fast paced scene, also
combining music to add to the whatever feeling I am trying to
create. This will be effective during editing for future tasks.
• Also, the editing experience showed me the issues that arise when
trying to put together a scene filmed from various angles. The issues
I saw will help me achieve more continuity during editing next time
by improving my filming and focusing on tiny details that could
have a significant impact of my project. Overall, editing showed me
how important continuity was and familiarised me with the
challenges of turning something of filmed on camera into a
professional and effective piece of media. This experience will be
helpful during the stages prior to editing for future tasks.
• Editing also helped me learn to use an Apple Mac, a computer I was
not very experienced with, more effectively and learn to get the most
out of its capabilities.

5. During the Preliminary: Putting
Theory into Practice
• The short piece on planning in the previous slides went over
the difficulties I had with linking ideas and theory to practice
and into concrete pieces of work. What I’ve learnt about this
link is to be more careful when planning and to think over as
many details as possible, especially with regards to location
and mise-en-scene. I also learnt that it is important to
carefully plan shots alongside with the script as a well though
of narrative but a lack of organisation in terms of camera
shots and angles leads to a slow and inefficient filming
procedure. This damages the quality of finished film you have
to work with and therefore the editing process is also effected.
All in all when it comes to linking theory to practice I feel that
more planning and detailed thought is required for future
tasks.

6. Post-Preliminary: Planning
Taking into account all I had learnt during the
preliminary task about planning I then went
about planning for my main task. During the
main task I learnt several things about planning
however the biggest focus was on how to
thoroughly plan in a more professional and
critical way. I learnt, largely thanks to the
preliminary's preparation, how to create
Storyboards, Scripts and all sorts of other
planning based resources more efficiently and
professionally.

7. Post-Preliminary: Equipment and
Editing
During the main task, I got to spend time with the
equipment I have now become accustomed to via the
preliminary and I was able to further advance my
knowledge of the equipment due to familiarity. For
example I had learnt to manipulate boom poles and mics
to create present sound in my production in a way that
will help advance ideas within that production as well as
several other things.
The same is also true of the editing process. Due to the
practice provided by my preliminary task, I was able to
use Editing software and my Editing skills at a more
advanced level and the early practice meant I learnt far
more Editing skills during editing for my main task then
I would have had I not completed a pleminary task.

8. Post-Preliminary: Theory into
Reality
In my preliminary, I learnt that simplicity and realism were important in terms of
making a successful production. Therefore the clubbing idea was contested by myself
however I was outnumbered by my group. I felt that with our limited resources such a
complicated could not be done to a high standard. Whilst it was difficult to do, I do
believe we have however achieved this via editing and making decisions to leave
certain clips out. This had thought me the importance of editing in terms of having a
successful production and turning theory into reality as well as that even the least
professional looking bits of film can be made to look so using good editing and shot
selection.
The final scene in our production, the pool of blood scene, was also not a good quality
piece of filming due to the difficulties associated with the scenes complexities. This
scene was in my opinion unsalvageable therefore I went out and shot a new scene
alone, using the knowledge and experience learnt in the preliminary and main tasks.
This ‘bathroom’ scene is the scene that appears in my version of the final production
as editing was done individually. Another thing I learnt about is the use of props and
even had to go out and produce a recipe for fake blood.

9. Overall
Overall, during both the pleminary and everything following it I
learnt several skills to do with media production. These ranged
from filming and editing to planning and organising. I also
gained valuable experience and training time with media
production equipment and software and as with any sort of
experience my skills with and understanding of these
technologies has hugely advanced and I’ve been given the ability
to take the all important first steps in terms of becoming a top
rate media-producer, editor and general media-involved
individual. I also learnt a lot about how new technology and
service media production and the media industry for example the
use of media advertising, as well as the use of blogs and office
software to organise a production process.