In the preliminary task, the group created a brief storyboard and planned basic shots and edits but did not plan mise-en-scene or sound. For the final product, they did significantly more planning including casting, locations, and script drafts. They also practiced shots and researched other films. The group communicated well for the preliminary task but poorly for the final product, making the work more difficult. Through both tasks, the student learned about using different camera shots, angles, and movements to create specific effects, and improved at skills like matching shots, transitions, and incorporating music to build tension.

1. Question 7: Looking Back at Your
Preliminary Task, What do You
Feel You Have Learnt in the
Progression From it to the Full
Product?

2. Preliminary Task

3. Researching, Planning and Storyboarding –
Preliminary Task
In the preliminary task, we did some brief planning before we went out to
shoot the sequence. We made a storyboard which showed the shots we were
going to film and it told us in notes underneath which type of camera angles
and shots we were going to use. However, it was very brief because we
wanted to create different effects but didn’t really know how to until we
actually went to film it. We planned which edits we were going to use and we
knew we wanted to use a match on action shot as well but we didn’t plan any
of the mise en scene or the sound to the film, therefore we used a soundtrack
behind the film which we found on iMovie, but we didn’t develop it at all from
what it already was.

4. Preliminary Task Storyboard

5. Researching, Planning and Storyboarding –
Final Product
In our final product, we did a lot more planning for our film, and it was a lot
more detailed than what we had done previously. We included ideas of who to
cast for our film, where we were going to film it, each shot type, drafts of the
script and make up and costume ideas. We also did practice shots which we
edited together to see what effect it would create to the audience if we
presented it in a specific way. We also researched other products similar to
ours such as Scream, The Cabin in the Woods and Friday 13th. There were also
other products which related or contrasted to ours such as Devil and The
Woman in Black. This is how we found out about the conventions of horror
films to use or to contrast in our own. I think the planning for our final product
was a lot more detailed and clear as to exactly what we wanted to achieve.

6. Working in a Group
Working in a group for our preliminary task was easier than it was when it came to
our final product. When we did the preliminary task our group communicated well
and we were quite organised so everyone knew what we were doing and we all
had an equal part to play in the group. This ended up being successful because we
managed to create a sequence which included everything that was required and
there were very few difficulties to face which we could resolve quite quickly.
However, in the process of producing our final piece, I think my group was quite
bad with communication to each other and this lead to poor organisation
throughout the process. We couldn’t rely on each other all the time for agreed
pieces of work and it lead to some bad quality work, therefore we worked
independently for a lot of it. So, if I was to do this task again, I would take more of
a leadership role to ensure that the group had everything we needed to have in
order to create a product of the best quality that we could.

7. Using Camera Shots, Movements and
Angles to Create Effect
In the preliminary task, we managed to figure out the camera shots, movements
and angles when we planned, but we could also experiment with shots to see if
other techniques created a better effect, so I learnt a lot about how to use these
angles in this task, which helped with the production of the full product. In the full
product, we used some of these shots and more different ones as I continued to
learn about the different techniques and the effect it created. For example, the
shot where the villain is looking at the tent from behind the tree was a good
example of learning about point of view shots. We wanted to use a smooth
tracking shot in our film as well, but from the preliminary task we decided it
wouldn’t look completely smooth because these shots are hard to
achieve, however we managed to do a jolted tracking shot which is in the point of
view of the villain so we could still incorporate it into our final product. By looking
back at the shots in the editing process, we could evaluate how well the shots
turned out and what we needed to re-shoot in order for it to look more effective.

8. Learning About Camera Shots, Angles and
Movement
We used a tracking shot in the preliminary task to show the actions of the main
character but changed this in the final production to a long shot because it
wouldn’t look smooth or neat. We continued to use the rule of thirds to make
sure the audience focuses on the subject straight away by placing them on one
of the vertical lines.

9. Learning About Camera Shots, Angles and
Movement
In the final product, we used a point of view shot of the villain behind the
tree, focusing on the tent, this shows what the subject is but also leaves mystery
to the audience because they want to know who is looking. This is similar to in the
preliminary task as there is an over the shoulder shot of one of the characters. We
only see the back of her head so we can see the character we have already been
introduced to but there is a mystery of who the other character is.

10. Editing Raw Footage
When editing the footage of the preliminary task we wanted it to have a linear
narrative as we didn’t want it too complicated for our first task which was very
short anyway. We made sure to use the 180 degree rule and we used match
on action of the door opening which made it look more advanced but overall
the editing was quite simple. In our final product, the editing was a lot more
advanced as there was a longer narrative and also flashes of what is going to
happen to the girl before she dies. We used more transitions such as fade to
white and fade to black, and there is a better use of match on action in some
places which makes the film seem tense to make it suit the genre.

11. Editing Raw Footage Examples
The match on action shots were more effective in the final product. In the
preliminary task, there wasn’t really a reason for using it, however in the final
product we used it to show significant actions. For example when she stands on the
cigarette packet, it shows rebellion as a teenager and this is significant for later on
in the film.

12. Editing Raw Footage Examples
In our preliminary task, we used shot reverse shot to show the conversation
between the two characters which was effective because it shows the
relationship between them. We didn’t use this in the opening of our film but I
think we could have incorporated it to show the relationship between the
group of friends instead of just using long shots.

13. Planning to Film and Shooting Footage
In the preliminary task, our group was successful in agreeing what we wanted
to film and we had organised different roles for each of us within the filming
and editing of the footage. This meant we could make the video with little
difficulty and we were all happy with our roles. Although, this wasn’t the same
case when filming the final product. Because of the differences between us in
our group, when relying on other people to meet at a certain place at a certain
time we weren’t so successful. This is because there were different
inconveniences for each of us that meant we found it difficult to find a day
which was suitable, as well as trying to get more actors to come with us as
well. This was one of our main drawbacks in creating the film, but also one of
the most important parts which I think pulled us back.

14. Creating and Using Music for Effect
In the preliminary task, our music was very simple. We used a soundtrack
which we found on iMovie and put it in the background of our film, the only
development on this being the volume of the music in different places so you
can hear the dialogue. In the final product, we had higher aspirations
therefore it was a lot harder. We created basic sound for the movie but it
wasn’t enough to build up the right amount of tension a horror film should
have. I think the music was the most difficult stage of the production of our
film because it is very specific depending what effect we were aiming to
achieve. It is hard to suit the music to the scene as well as using non-diegetic
sounds that fit as well, this is something we could improve on.