This document summarizes a student's preliminary film task for their AS level course. The student's group filmed a conversation between two characters applying three principles: match on action, shot-reverse shot, and the 180 degree rule. They made one minor mistake breaking the 180 degree rule but refilmed to correct it. The group collaborated well, taking turns operating equipment and editing. They managed resources, equipment, the deadline, and ensured health and safety during filming. The preliminary task provided experience with filming and editing techniques.

1. PRELIMINARY TASK
review

2. INTRODUCTION
This week my group and I filmed and edited our
preliminary task, a crucial aspect of our AS level, for
this task, we had to include in our conversation
three important principles when filming: match on
action, shot-reverse shot and the 180 degree rule.

3. MATCH ON ACTION
This is when one shot is cut to another that
matches the action and pace of the first
shot. This can be useful in creating
continuity when you’ve filmed a scene weeks
apart.

4. SHOT-REVERSE SHOT
This is when two characters are having a conversation and one
character is filmed looking off the screen to where the other
character is supposed to be and vice versa. One character must
face the left and the other the right, so you can edit between
them talking and listening. This is often used in films when
two prominent actors cant be in the same place at the same
time.

5. 180 DEGREE RULE
This is when there is an imaginary line that cuts across
a room, dividing it in half. This is for when one is
filming many different shots and is switching between
characters. When switching, one must ensure that all
shots are filmed from the same side of the line. If the
line is crossed, then the continuity is broken.

6. HOW MANY MISTAKES DID
YOU MAKE?
Thankfully, throughout the process of filming and
editing we did not make too many mistakes. The
only mistake I can recall making is overstepping the
boundary for the 180 degree rule. However, this was
noticed instantly and immediately re-filmed and
resolved.

7. H OW D I D YO U M A N AG E T H E G RO U P DY N A M I C S
AND COLLABORATIVE NATURE OF FILM MAKING?
Since there was going to be one character on screen at all times we
added a short scene of the other character waiting for her to arrive
in order to allow her to get to practice with the equipment. Other
than that, we all took turns in filming, with one of of us filming the
establishing shot and the character walking through the door, the
other filming the waiting and the other filming the conversation .
Whilst editing, we all took turns equally in editing different parts of
the recording.

8. HOW DID YOU MANAGE
THE EQUIPMENT?
The equipment was not too difficult to manage as
we had previously been given a masterclass on how
to use it. We collectively managed to set up the
equipment easily, two of us working to set up the
camera and dolly, and one of us working with the
lights.

9. HOW DID YOU MANAGE
THE DEADLINE?
It was easy to manage the deadline as each group were
given allocated slots – one for filming and one for
editing - from our teacher to ensure no one would
overstep the deadline. However, we did have to edit
into our break time, but this was not a problem and
we successfully managed to meet the deadline.

10. W E R E T H E R E A N Y H E A LT H A N D
S A F E T Y L O G I S T I C A L P RO B L E M S ?
Since we weren’t filing on a hazardous site, there was not much
to worry about with health and safety problems. However,
since we did experiment a bit with red head lights, we had to
make sure we didn’t burn ourselves whilst maneuvering the
equipment around. Additionally, we had to be careful when
walking around due to all the wires from the lights that were
strewn across the floor.

11. H OW D I D YO U O RG A N I S E YO U R H U M A N
R E S O U RC E S – P E O P L E I N VO LV E D I N YO U R
PROD UCTION ? A ) ACTORS B) COSTUMES C) PROPS
Our actors were the people involved in the filming and editing of our preliminary
task. From my group, I was the only one who was not on camera so the other two
girls in my group were the actresses, but we also ensured that they would be able to
do work behind the camera. Since we were filming during school time, we just wore
what we usually wear to school . However, one of the girls in my group was
wearing a hoodie and since she was playing quite a menacing character, she lifted
up her hood to make her look more intimidating. We didn't’t use many props in our
preliminary task as it was a simple conversation . However, for this we did use a
table and chairs to make it look more like a business meeting.

12. HOW DID YOU MANAGE
YOUR CAMERAS?
We created opportunities for everyone to use the camera even
those who ere acting on screen. Managing the actual cameras
weren’t too difficult to operate as we were given a class on
how to use them previously. We did things like make sure we
white balanced the room in order for everything to look
perfect on screen.

13. HOW DID YOU MANAGE
YOUR LIGHTING?
Although we were only filming a conversation, we decided to play
around with the lights a little. We used two key lights in the room.
However, when we looked back on our recording we realised
everything was a little overexposed. This was not a major issue,
however during our actual opening title sequence to our thriller film,
we will need to ensure the lighting is perfect. Lighting takes a lot of
time to master, therefore this was all part of the learning process.

14. H O W D I D Y O U R S T O R Y B OA R D I N G A N D
S H O O T I N G S C R I P T WO R K I N P R AC T I C E ?
D I D YOU M AK E CR E ATI VE D E CI S I ON S ?
We were given an idea of what to do by our teachers so there
wasn’t much storyboarding needed. Surprisingly, we did not
come up with a particular script and just improvised on the
spot. Since we were meant to film a conversation, we made it a
little more interesting by creating the characters of a good guy
and a bad guy. This made things slightly more dramatic and a
bit less boring.

15. H OW S U C C E S S F U L W E R E YO U
I N M A N AG I N G YO U R T I M E ?
I think we managed our time well, completing the
filming within an hour lesson and the editing within
around half an hour as it took a while to get used to
the editing program – Adobe Premiere Pro. We had
been taught how to use it earlier on in the year,
however it did take a bit of time to get the hang of it.

16. H OW D I D D I G I T A L T E C H N O L O G Y E N A B L E
YO U T O D E V E L O P C R E AT I V E LY ?
Although this was only a short task, by being able to experiment with the camera
and lighting I became more familiar with what to do. By getting a closer look at
the camera, it enabled me to test out different angle shots and camera distances,
which will prove to be useful when producing my final piece. By being given the
opportunity to play around with the lighting, I was able to become familiar with
different techniques I could use in my thriller. Additionally, from editing the task
on Adobe Premiere Pro, I was able to get the hang of using the program. This
would we useful for when editing my final piece.

17. I N F I L M I N G A N D E D I T I N G, H O W D I D Y O U
ENSURE THAT THE MEANING WOULD BE
A P PA R E N T T O T H E A U D I E N C E ?
To be completely honest, there was not much
meaning to our preliminary task. However, we did
make it clear to the audience through the use of
costumes and tone of voice who was the good guy
and who was the bad guy.

18. WHAT TYPE OF PEOPLE
HAVE YOU REPRESENTED?
In our preliminary task, the characters represented were
essentially a ‘good guy’ and a ‘bad guy’. However, since
there was not much development of the characters as it
was a 30 second clip, the only things indicating that
there were indeed a ‘good guy’ and ‘bad guy’ were the
costumes, tone of voice and the dialogue.

19. WHAT SORT OF REALISM
HAVE YOU CONSTRUCTED?
In our preliminary task we did try to create some
sort of a gangsta realism. However, since the clip
was very short and filmed in the Media Studies
studio in our school, we were not able to construct
the gangsta realism we were going for properly.

20. W H A T R O L E D O T H E M I S E - E N - S C E N E , A C T I N G,
D I A L O G U E A N D S T Y L E O F C A M E R AW O R K
P L AY I N T H E C O N S T R U C T I O N O F
VERISIMILITUDE?
There was not much construction of verisimilitude in our preliminary task as
although we did attempt to create a sort of gangsta type realism, we did not
have the facilities to produce a convincing and effective mise-en-scene and
filmed in the school’s Media Studies suite. The only thing that actually hinted
towards this gangsta atmosphere was the hoodie one of the character’s were
wearing, the dialogue and the characters tone of voice. However, since there
were only two students on the camera, and not two professional actors, the
acting was quite substandard and no proper realism was constructed.