From creating a preliminary project to a full product, the author learned several things: 1) How to effectively use different camera shots like extreme close-ups. 2) How to properly use editing software like iMovie and After Effects. 3) The importance of avoiding mistakes like breaking the 180 degree rule during filming. 4) That planning, such as creating a risk assessment, is essential for a film.

1. ‘’Looking back at your preliminary
task, what do you feel you have learnt
in the progression from it to the full
product?’’

2. Camera shots
When me and my group filmed our preliminary project,
we used a limited amount of different camera shots as
we were instructed to include 3 camera shots, however
in our full product we had to branch out and use many
different camera shots. Therefore, from the preliminary
task to our full product, I have learnt how to use
different shots which I did not include in the preliminary
project, such as an extreme close up and using it
effectively i.e. we used an extreme close up to focus the
shot on the character Abhi’s face to show how she is
feeling so the audience would understand what the
events have impacted on her. Also, in the preliminary
task we included over the shoulder shots but as it was
our first time filming we wasn’t able to create a precise
over the shoulder shots but from including them in the
preliminary task we were able to understand what we
needed to improve to be able to use the shots in our full
product.

3. Editing software
When me and my group had to edit our preliminary
project, we only used one editing software which was
called iMovie which took us some time to become
familiar with but after using it then, when it came round
to editing our full product I had learnt all the basic
features on iMovie and I had a really good grasp on the
software as I was able to use it confidently and was
comfortable editing.
Also, throughout the process of creating our full product,
I and others in our group were invited to a workshop in
school which was focused on an editing software called
After Effects’ which is also used on the macs similarly to
iMovie. From this two hour workshop, I knew a few of
the basics of how the software worked and we was able
to incorporate an animated piece into our full product
which we used to show the title of our film. Therefore, as
this workshop was after the preliminary project had
took place, rom then to the full product I have now also
learnt how to use another editing software which
focuses on animation in comparison to filmed products
on iMovie. By this, I have now gained technical skills
with editing which will make it easier for me to use more
complex editing software’s in the future as I will
understand the basics.

4. Camera movement
In the preliminary project me and my group
created, not everything was perfect in it especially as it
was our first time using the equipment (camera and
tripod) and also our first time working together in our
group. What stood out to me which we did wrong in the
preliminary project was that we broke the 180 degree
rule. After this, we learnt from that mistake and
ensured that we should check every shot and make sure
that we do not break the rule again and also that we
ensure that every shot is framed carefully. To do this
each of us in our group watched the footage we filmed
to check to make sure we were happy with what was
filmed and to see if we could detect any errors as if only
the person who is using the camera is watching then
they might miss out something that someone else could
detect.

5. Risks
When planning for the preliminary project, mainly
because it was a short project to complete and we as a
group did not have as much time as we had to create
our full product, as a group we did not have time to
think about the possible risks which we could be faced
with when filming.
Further on when planning for our full product, our
group was informed that we should create a risk
assessment for when we go out to film as this is what all
films need to have for when the start to film.
When we was planning for our preliminary project, I
did not know that to create a film you must need a risk
assessment before you go to film so from then to our
full product, I have learnt that films take more work
than just coming up with an idea and going out and
filming it and that a lot of thought goes into very small
parts of what make up the end product.

6. Order of events
In the preliminary project, it is clear that our group
followed a simple order of events i.e. each shot followed
each other and made sense e.g. An interviewee walked
into an interview, was then interviewed and was then
told whether she were welcome or not.
However until researching, I did not know that you
could change events in a story. Up till mid way
researching on narrative theory for the full product, I
thought that all films, stories and plays had a beginning,
middle and an end and I thought that was the clear and
obvious order which they follow too however after the
preliminary project I found out that the order of the
beginning, middle and end can be swapped around. I
learnt this from a quote from a theorist called Jean Luc
Goddard who stated ‘’A story should have a beginning, a
middle and an end, but not necessarily in that order’’.

7. Continuity
After our group had finished our preliminary project,
whilst starting to plan for our full product, I and the
class had a lesson were Sam Buttery, who has starred in
a real acting film, visited us to talk about his experience
when filming and to also help us improve our first
vague idea’s.
When Sam was speaking to us, he told us about
continuity. Continuity is where everything in shots
should be the same i.e. how make-up looks, if in the
same scene one shot shows a woman with red lipstick
but then in the next shot the camera shows her without
the red lipstick then it would not be the same and
would not make sense. Therefore people on the set of
films have to i.e. people in charge of the costumes must
take photographs of the actors as their characters so
that if they want to film half of the scene another time,
they can re make the character by looking back at the
photograph to make sure the characters look the same.
Therefore I have learnt that the smallest bits in films
make a massive difference and that you have to be
organised when making a film.