The document compares the filmmaking techniques used in a preliminary project and a subsequent thriller project. It notes that the thriller incorporated more advanced camerawork like handheld shots, more locations, costumes, props, developed characters, and editing techniques like transitions, effects, and three editing programs. The document discusses the improved cinematography, mise-en-scene, editing, sound, and teamwork in creating the thriller compared to the preliminary project.

2.  In our preliminary task, the camerawork was done quite
well, considering we used multiple camera angles and
the shots were still and not handheld, unlike some of the
shots in our thriller. The camerawork was very similar but I
believe that as we added handheld shots, it made our
thriller look more realistic.
 In the prelim we used only 4 static shots, whereas in our
thriller we used handheld, panning shots, tracking shots,
and some still shots as well.
 In the prelim, because the camera shots were all static,
and were shot in one small room, there was no
atmosphere of action or any thriller related imagery,
whereas in our thriller, we had multiple locations and
camera shots, which enabled us to create the sense of
action and a thriller-based film.
 In our thriller we used some handheld shots and used the
tripod for long shots during the basketball scenes in order
to add complexion to the basketball player as he’s
shooting and dribbling.
 Multiple shots were used such as tracking shots with the
tripod as the killer is walking around and school, and an
over the shoulder tracking shot as he is walking into the
PE office.

3.  Mise en scene was definitely more effective in our thriller, as in
our prelim, we did not have any props or costumes. In our
thriller we used costumes and props that helped identify and
personify the characters in order to make themselves fit in
more and become more realistic.
 The use of locations within our thriller was far better than that
of our prelim, as in our preliminary task, we filmed the entire
sequence in one room, therefore the atmosphere was bland
and boring. In our thriller, the locations we used were
throughout an entire school, which backed up the idea of an
action packed high school massacre thriller.
 The actors used in our thriller were more believable, as in the
preliminary task we had simple actors with no real
personalities. In our thriller we had actors who each had a
specific and understandable personality, which helped
address our film to the audience.
 Mise en scene was definitely more advanced and developed
in our thriller, as we allowed the mise en scene to relate to our
viewers in order to make them keep thinking of what would
happen next in our thriller.

4.  The editing in our thriller is far superior to
that of our prelim, as we did not include
any effects or transitions in our prelim. In
our thriller, we used transitions and both
video and audio effects. We believe
that the editing that was produced in
our thriller was very well done.
 We used three different programs in our
editing (Adobe Premiere, Sony Vegas
Pro and Adobe After Effects) which
allowed us to add different and unique
effects to our thriller to make it look
better.
Muzzle and
lighting effects
Fade transition

5.  By using Adobe Premiere, we could
allocate each individual clip that was
recorded, and change the position of the
footage in order to match the storyline of
our thriller. We were also able to find
footage that we did not need to include,
therefore we cut them out. Adobe Premiere
also helped us to find out exactly how long
our thriller would be, as by positioning of the
footage allowed us to know exactly how
long the footage should last for each clip,
therefore we could organise all of our clips
together in an efficient way.

6.  Sony Vegas is an editing software that allows for easy title sequencing,
inserting video and audio effects and also positioning and altering clip
lengths. We used Sony Vegas to add our title sequences, and change
the font style and size. We also added fades to our clips using this
software. The ending few seconds of the thriller were made with this
program, which was the black screen with the title ‘Blacksburg 32’ on it.
The audio effects such as the screaming and gunshot sounds, as well as
the non-diegetic music that we used for the killing scenes and the
basketball scenes were added and edited with Sony Vegas.
 Whilst firstly editing our drafts, blood splats were attempted to be added
into Vegas Pro, however we saw that as the camera was shaky, it would
be too hard to track the blood splats to follow the location alongside
the movement of the camera. We tried to take different types of blood
effects in and out of our editing as we tried to make some work, but
realised that it would not be able to work if some shootings have blood
and others don’t, and as a result we removed the blood effects
completely.
 The ending of our thriller with the broken glass were green screens that
were Chroma-keyed into the screen. We also inserted non-copyrighted
audio of gunshots in order to accompany the text as it fades in.

7.  Adobe After Effects is an editing software which
allows for importing video effects in an efficient way.
We used this program to add the muzzle flash effects
and the lighting effects for the gunshots. The lighting
effects had to be masked in order to fit into a realistic
location when the gunshots were fired. The muzzle
flashes also had to be placed exactly in front of the
gun so that it would be applied once the gunshots
were fired.
 This program was helpful, as we could import clips
that were already exported on the other editing
software, therefore we could add the video effects
and render the footage again to make the final
video. In after effects it took a long time to get the
lighting effects in as well as the muzzle flashes.

8.  The use of sound was far more effective in our thriller than our prelim, as
all the prelim sounds were diegetic. In our thriller we used non-diegetic
binary oppositions of sounds in order to create a sense of mystery and
intenseness. We also used sound effects of gunshots and screaming in
order to make our thriller sound more realistic.
 The use of sound in the preliminary task was all diegetic dialogue, which
did not portray any sense of action.
 In our thriller we used a variety of sounds, such as non-diegetic audio
effects such as the gunshots and screaming, and also the use of
contrapuntal sound with the non-diegetic classical music and the non-
diegetic fast paced metal music. Our choice of contrapuntal non-
diegetic music enabled our thriller to create suspense and tension as it
allowed a fast-paced flow to our film.
 The sound used in our thriller was far better than the sound used in our
prelim, as the sound in the prelim had no purpose or meaning to the
audience, whereas the sound in our thriller added purpose and
meaning to the audience, and also added a sense of action and a
thriller-based film.

11.  The storyboard that we had for our
preliminary task was already given to us,
therefore we had to follow the directions of
it without any interference with our own
thoughts and ideas. In our thriller, we came
up with our own ideas to use, and made
our own storyboard. Although the
storyboard we have was of our initial idea,
we decided to change it slightly, such as
featuring the duck mask and having the
basketball player scenes cross cutting with
the killings.

12.  We had acquired different teams from our
preliminary task to our thriller, and I believe that the
teamwork was very good in our thriller groups, as we
listened to each other and took in any considerations
made by members of our group. I also believe that
we all helped to ensure that we all played a role in
our thriller, so that it would be the best thriller we
could possibly make, and thus I believe that we did a
great job addressing that.
 Different team members also used different editing
software to edit different parts of our thriller, in order
to combine them as a whole. This helped us out a lot
as different people specialise in different editing
programs, therefore we could merge all of our
individual skills in order to produce a great thriller.