The document discusses the learning experience from a preliminary editing exercise to a full film opening project. In the preliminary exercise, the filmmakers experimented with editing techniques, camerawork, and explored the horror genre. This helped provide ideas for the film opening. The opening allowed further experimentation and more flexibility in camerawork and editing techniques, such as cross-cutting. The filmmakers applied lessons from the preliminary exercise to create a mysterious opening with improved organization, camerawork, editing, sound, and mise-en-scene elements.

1. Lookingbackat yourpreliminarytask(thecontinuity
editingtask),whatdoyoufeelyouhavelearntintheprogression
fromit tofullproduct?

2. Preliminary Exercise

3. The Preliminary Exercise was a favourable circumstance for us to experiment editing techniques and camerawork. We were given freedom
to choosing our own theme of the clip. We chose the horror genre to give us a taste of the options we have and encouraged us to explore the
genre, giving us possible ideas for the final opening. As preparation, we had a script to follow and a storyboard to easily visualise the flowing of
the clip. This was a more professional approach than the skills development exercise and the result was better.
In terms of the camerawork, we were instructed to include match on action, shot reverse-shot, insert shot and to respect the 180-degree rule
while filming. Additionally, we added a close-up of the hands, reaction shots on Isabel’s face, a master shot of the two characters and so on. To
follow the 180-deggre rule, we had to make sure to keep the camera on one side while filming the shot reverse-shot and over the shoulder shot.
This way it wouldn’t look odd while editing the footage and when changing the shoulder of the shot reverse-shot between me and Isabel. This
would also secure the continuity without any disruptions.

4. While editing the footage, we had to make sure to keep
the continuity. To ensure that, we decided to use a match
on action shot of Isabel opening the door and entering the
room. This turned out to be more difficult to edit than we
expected, due to its precision while cutting at the right
moment and putting the shots together to flow. To make
sure we had enough footage to cut from, we filmed the
whole sequence from multiple angles, more than once. He
difficult part was the fact that me and Isabel had to
perform the same actions at the same moment and in the
same rhythm as the previous attempt. This was also
necessary when using the dialogue between the characters.

5. In terms of soundtrack, we used a pipe organ piece in the beginning of the clip to set the atmosphere we were aiming to
achieve. The low organ keys fit perfectly with our fortune teller theme and induces the audience into the mysterious
atmosphere of our clip, from the very first beginning. Moreover, during editing, we added a sound effect to make my voice
deeper for my last sentence “Have you missed me, darling?” in order to maintain the atmosphere. The diegetic sound
consisted of the dialogue between the girl and the fortune teller.
Click to listen

6. As part of the mise en-scene, we chose as
location a classroom. This was the less successful
part regarding our filming. Having a limited time
to film the clip within the college, a classroom was
the most accessible location we could find.
Unfortunately, this and the high-key lighting
didn’t match with our eerie theme. As props, we
used a tablecloth and some candles. Additionally, I
had an eye drawn on my forehead, with a scarf on
my head and rings on my fingers to represent a
fortune teller, even though I was wearing casual
clothes.

7. Final Film Opening

8. Our Film Opening allowed us to further experiment editing techniques as well as camerawork and explore the horror genre. We had freedom
in choosing the theme and based our final concept on the witchcraft, having the Preliminary Exercise as inspiration and several brainstorming
meetings. We were even more organised this time, having a script, a shot list, an initial storyboard and a schedule for the filming and editing
sessions. The process was done with better confidence, having the Preliminary Exercise as an experience, with resulted into a beautifully
mysterious film opening.
In terms of camerawork, we were more flexible with our shots, not having a list of certain shots that we needed to respect. We did though use
some shots in our opening such as over the shoulder shot, match on action and respected the 180-degree rule. Additionally, we added a close-up
of the witch’s hands, like in the Preliminary Exercise; POV of the witch and some long shots of both the witch and the girl. While filming the over
the shoulder scene of the girl along with the witch and the long shot of the witch, we made sure to respect the 180-degree rule, to maintain the
continuity.

9. While editing the footage, we weren’t as concerned about the
continuity as we were in the Preliminary Exercise, due to our
Opening being a discrete one. On the other hand, we did use a
match on action shot of the witch opening the book and a second
one of the girl taking out the spell book from her bag and flicking
through it. The second one turned out to me more difficult than
we expected, as we had to film the sequence several times to make
it look natural. As a new editing technique, we added a cross-
cutting, which turned out to be successful, to emphasize the link
between the girl and the witch. We also filmed extra footage to
always have the possibility of cutting more or less of the footage.
At the same time, we learned new techniques such as altering the
speed and colour of some shots and how to use Photoshop for our
production logo.

10. In terms of soundtrack, we used more sophisticated music and focused more on the diegetic and non-diegetic sounds. Throughout the Film
Opening, a dark church choir is used to set the enigmatic atmosphere. The fact that the choir sings in Latin, makes the audience tensioned and
perfectly suits our witches’ theme. During the park scenes, we added incantations as non-diegetic sound over the soundtrack to emphasize the
fact that the witch is constantly overshadowing Diana. Moreover, we added some diegetic sounds such as the match being lit and the book being
throw on the table, in order to add to the realism of the Film Opening. We lacked dialogue compared to the Preliminary Exercise.
Click to listen

11. As part of the mise en-scene, we had more options when
choosing the locations. In comparison to the classroom, we went
and filmed in a park for the scenes with Diana, and used the
studio for the scenes with the witch. We used high-key lighting for
the park scene to juxtapose with the low-key light used for the
witch’s lair. As for the make-up, the eye in Preliminary Exercise
evolved to old and wrinkly hand in the Opening. We focused more
on this area, as the hands were the only part of the witch’s body
that was the action around. On the other hand, we maintained the
casual clothes for both characters in both exercises, along with the
candles on the table. As props, we further added the “Book of
Shadows”, a white rose and some photographs, to add to the eerie
atmosphere.