AS Prelim

Who did you work with and how did you manage the task between you?

1) I worked with Ela, Iggy and Alistair. We each worked on the pre-production together and merged all our ideas into one. During production, the roles were divided so that Alistair and I were the two main characters, Ela was on camera and sound while Iggy was directing. For editing, Ela and I created one sequence while Iggy and Alistair created a separate one. We created seperate ones so that firstly, we could be more creative by not closing our options so much and additionally, due to the fact that only two people were working on a sequence at a time, those two people could both work on it equally whereas four people working on one sequence together could get a bit tense and doesn't require everyone's full attention at once.

How did you plan your sequence? What processes did you use? What theories did you try to take into account?

2) We planned our sequence by first noting out our ideas in rough. We brainstormed all our initial ideas and then merged them into one. Once we had our idea set, the notes were transferred into a shot list and a storyboard. We tried to take into account the theories we have learnt such as match on action which we applied in the shot were Alistair walks through the door, shot/reverse shot which we used when filming the conversation between Alistair and myself and the 180 degree rule.

What technology did you use to complete the task, and how did you use it?

3) Technology we used to complete the task was a Canon HFG30 camera for shooting visuals. It was a good piece of equipment because it was very good quality and not too difficult to use - we used it with the tripod. We also used a microphone for recording audio while shooting and Premiere Pro software for editing. I already have experience with Premiere Pro so cutting up the clips and putting them into a sequence was quite straightforward.

What factors did you have to take into account when planning, shooting and editing?

4) When planning, factors we took into account were scheduling, crew availability for meetings, how realistic our ideas were, props and costume. With our shoot schedule, we had to organise time slots between ourselves and the other group, as we all wanted to use the same location for certain shots. When shooting, factors were sticking to the 180/30 degree rules, using a variety of different camera framings and angles. When editing, we had to consider how concise and perfect the continuity was and we had to ensure that there was continuous action. We had to make decisions of which take from each scene to use and whether to use some scenes at all - for example, initially we were going to include a master shot in our sequence but eventually realised it spoilt our narrative flow so we deleted it.

How successful was your sequence? Please identify what worked well, and with hindsight, what would you improve/do differently?

5) In terms of continuity, generally our sequence was successful however there were a few errors. Things that worked well were the match on action and the shot/reverse shot shots because the techniques were good. Also, the close ups at the end add a sense of drama and humour. Things we would do differently is be more careful with our narrative flow in the shot where I say 'Take a seat I'm really busy' and the following shot. In the former, I am stapling some sheets together then the shot cuts and is followed by a shot were I am at a different part of the desk holding different items. We would also plan out shot list differently so that we can include a master shot and have it make sense as part of the narrative.

What have you learnt from completing this task? Looking ahead, how will this learning be significant when completing the rest of your foundation coursework, do you think?

6) I have a much clearer idea of how to aid narrative flow when creating a sequence such as using the different techniques mentioned before. I have gained experience with acting and editing too. This learning will be significant when completing the rest of my foundation coursework because it means my general quality of work will be a lot higher and I can incorporate more techniques to look more professional.