The document discusses the learning and progress the author has made from their preliminary media task to their final opening title sequence. In their preliminary task, the author struggled with filming, editing, sound, and other technical aspects since it was their first piece. They have since learned better camera techniques, how to use editing software like Premiere Pro, the importance of things like mise-en-scene, script writing and storyboarding. The author feels they have gained important skills and knowledge over the past year that allowed them to create a higher quality final project.

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

2. +
 It is really useful to look back on my preliminary task and
compare it to my final opening title sequence. I can see how
much I have learnt over the year and how much I have
progressed.
 At the start of the year I didn’t realise how much everything
matters, even the smallest things like costume because I did
not know anything about media but now I realise that in order to
make a good quality film you have to take everything into
account and plan it all thoroughly.

3. +
What was the preliminary task?
 Our preliminary task was to create a continuity task involving
filming and editing.
 The task was quite challenging because it was the first piece of
proper filming and editing we had done and therefore had no
experience.
 It was difficult at the beginning but we feel that over the months
from that until now I have developed my media skills a lot.

4. + 180 degree Rule
 A rule stating that a camera should be placed somewhere
inside the 180 degrees on a particular side of the invisible
line of a shot containing two people filmed.
 If the camera cross the line then the viewers will get
confused because it makes it look like the people are
switching places.

5. +
Editing
 I did not know how to edit my preliminary task and it took me a
very long time to do it, yet it is still not that great. I did it on
iMovie which I now realise you cannot do as much as you can
on Adobe Premiere Pro.
 I learnt to use after effects really well for my idea and I feel if I
knew how to do this previously, as well as Adobe Premiere Pro,
I could have created a much better preliminary task.
 I have also learnt the importance of continuity editing as this
makes a film look a lot more professional and real, instead of
jumping to different shots.
 Since my preliminary task I have learnt a lot of other editing
techniques that I have used in my final opening sequence,
especially a lot on after effects e.g. green screen.

6. +
Filming my preliminary task
 Filming was very hard at first. I did use a DSLR camera but I
found it very difficult to use as I had never used one before
and I had to figure out all of the settings for different lightings
etc.
 Looking back to the start of the year, I feel I have made a lot
of progress and improved our media skills and techniques. I
also now know how to use a DSLR camera properly and also
that to get the best quality shots, to use a tripod as this
makes the footage look even more professional as it is very
steady and does not move at all.

7. +
Script writing
 For my preliminary task I did not write a script, I just told the
actors what to say as they only had one line each.
 I used Celtx for original idea which is very useful because you
write everything in it, including facial expressions so the actors
know exactly what to do.
 However for my final opening title sequence I did not write a
script as I did not have any lines at all.

8. +
Story board
 I did make a storyboard for my preliminary task and I think it
was done quite well
 However there were some shots I
drew wrong and should not have
put the location of the camera in all of them
especially as some were in the
wrong places
 I learnt how to animate it for my idea which makes it look a
lot more real life and you get an idea of the length etc.
 However, for my final idea it was very hard to create a story
board because the majority of the opening title sequence was
done in the pin board so it would not work very well.

9. +
Higher quality
 My preliminary task was not very high quality and was quite
blurry. This was because I did not know how to focus the
camera and it was probably on all the wrong settings. I now
know how to set the camera to the right settings and know
when it is fully focused so that I can start filming.
 It was also very shaky and not steady at all. I have now learnt
that in order to make it very steady you need to use a tripod
which is very very helpful and make your whole film look much
more professional instantly.

10. +
Sound
 My sound was not great in my preliminary task. This was
because I just used the sound through the camera and now I
realise you have to use a separate microphone and sound
recorder.
 Although I did not use this for my final opening sequence, I
know for next time how to do this and will mean that I will waste
less time in the future and will know how to use it and create
perfect sound.

11. +
Mise-en-scene
 I did not think about the mise-en-scene at all in my preliminary
task. I just got two actors and stuck them in my kitchen. I did not
worry about their costumes or the area they were in.
 I realised for my opening sequence that mise-en-scene is a VERY
important factor. For example, the pin boards we used for the 2
girls shows a lot about the two characters without even showing
their faces or hearing them speak. This is used as props which
does come under this.
 The costumes and props the 2 girls are wearing/using in the last
part of the opening sequence is very important and shows you
exactly what they are like.
 The environment they are in also shows they both still attend
school so they are teenage girls.