Final2
- 1. What have you learnt about technologies in the process of constructing this product? By MOHAMED RADWAN
- 2. During the Preliminary: Planning • The opening part of the planning experience was of course coming up with ideas for the project. We were offered a choice between producing a 30 second advert combating movie- piracy or a 2 minute anti-smoking film. As a group we opted for the anti-smoking film, feeling that it would provide a wider-range of choice due to having a longer running time. It also allowed us to use more complex ideas. This was a relatively straight forward decision and didn’t provide much of a challenge. The next stage of the ideas process was coming up with a full script. This threatened to provide a challenge as there were various ideas flung around the group however we decided to merge aspects of these ideas to produce our final ideas and script. • Next came the actual planning of the filming of our idea. The first, and easiest, part of this process was the before mentioned script. The next stage was producing a story-board and organising shots. Whilst we were coming up with ideas our extensive exposure and experience of motion-picture and television meant we had a clear understanding of what shots looked good and would work, however the storyboard provided the challenge of organising these shots, giving them an order, and making them workable on paper. The organisation of our shots was by far the most difficult part of the whole preliminary task and has taught us how to plan in a more organised fashion, to know exactly what we want and make vague ideas more concrete and workable. Being more organised with our ideas was really our main stumbling block throughout the planning process. • The most important lesson learnt from the above challenges was that for our main task we should take more care into having a clear idea for our locations and our requirements for filming. We should have a more realistic and achievable mise-en-scene in mind as our resources are not unlimited.
- 3. During the Preliminary: Equipment • During the preliminary task myself and the group had to work with loads of different equipment for both editing and filming. These included cameras, microphones, tripods, final cut and boom poles. During the preliminary the group has learnt to become comfortable with the equipment and learnt how to get the best results from them. An example of this would be learning to use the movement of the tripod to create more complex and visually effective camera shots. • The use of equipment in the preliminary was vital as it allows us to enter any future tasks with a deeper knowledge of our tools and therefore will be able to use them effectively. • During the preliminary task I also learnt the weaknesses and strengths of cameras and microphones and where they are most effective. For example, in future should I want a scene heavy in dialect I would prefer an indoor shoot as the wind interferes with sound whilst outdoors. Without this piece of knowledge I may have had to present a main task that lacked professionalism as the quality of my sound would damage the overall film/video.
- 4. During the Preliminary: Editing • During editing I learnt how to fully manipulate video to work the way I want it, i.e. cutting clips up to create a fast paced scene, also combining music to add to the whatever feeling I am trying to create. This will be effective during editing for future tasks. • Also, the editing experience showed me the issues that arise when trying to put together a scene filmed from various angles. The issues I saw will help me achieve more continuity during editing next time by improving my filming and focusing on tiny details that could have a significant impact of my project. Overall, editing showed me how important continuity was and familiarised me with the challenges of turning something of filmed on camera into a professional and effective piece of media. This experience will be helpful during the stages prior to editing for future tasks. • Editing also helped me learn to use an Apple Mac, a computer I was not very experienced with, more effectively and learn to get the most out of its capabilities.
- 5. During the Preliminary: Putting Theory into Practice • The short piece on planning in the previous slides went over the difficulties I had with linking ideas and theory to practice and into concrete pieces of work. What I’ve learnt about this link is to be more careful when planning and to think over as many details as possible, especially with regards to location and mise-en-scene. I also learnt that it is important to carefully plan shots alongside with the script as a well though of narrative but a lack of organisation in terms of camera shots and angles leads to a slow and inefficient filming procedure. This damages the quality of finished film you have to work with and therefore the editing process is also effected. All in all when it comes to linking theory to practice I feel that more planning and detailed thought is required for future tasks.
- 6. Post-Preliminary: Planning Taking into account all I had learnt during the preliminary task about planning I then went about planning for my main task. During the main task I learnt several things about planning however the biggest focus was on how to thoroughly plan in a more professional and critical way. I learnt, largely thanks to the preliminary's preparation, how to create Storyboards, Scripts and all sorts of other planning based resources more efficiently and professionally.
- 7. Post-Preliminary: Equipment and Editing During the main task, I got to spend time with the equipment I have now become accustomed to via the preliminary and I was able to further advance my knowledge of the equipment due to familiarity. For example I had learnt to manipulate boom poles and mics to create present sound in my production in a way that will help advance ideas within that production as well as several other things. The same is also true of the editing process. Due to the practice provided by my preliminary task, I was able to use Editing software and my Editing skills at a more advanced level and the early practice meant I learnt far more Editing skills during editing for my main task then I would have had I not completed a pleminary task.
- 8. Post-Preliminary: Theory into Reality In my preliminary, I learnt that simplicity and realism were important in terms of making a successful production. Therefore the clubbing idea was contested by myself however I was outnumbered by my group. I felt that with our limited resources such a complicated could not be done to a high standard. Whilst it was difficult to do, I do believe we have however achieved this via editing and making decisions to leave certain clips out. This had thought me the importance of editing in terms of having a successful production and turning theory into reality as well as that even the least professional looking bits of film can be made to look so using good editing and shot selection. The final scene in our production, the pool of blood scene, was also not a good quality piece of filming due to the difficulties associated with the scenes complexities. This scene was in my opinion unsalvageable therefore I went out and shot a new scene alone, using the knowledge and experience learnt in the preliminary and main tasks. This ‘bathroom’ scene is the scene that appears in my version of the final production as editing was done individually. Another thing I learnt about is the use of props and even had to go out and produce a recipe for fake blood.
- 9. Overall Overall, during both the pleminary and everything following it I learnt several skills to do with media production. These ranged from filming and editing to planning and organising. I also gained valuable experience and training time with media production equipment and software and as with any sort of experience my skills with and understanding of these technologies has hugely advanced and I’ve been given the ability to take the all important first steps in terms of becoming a top rate media-producer, editor and general media-involved individual. I also learnt a lot about how new technology and service media production and the media industry for example the use of media advertising, as well as the use of blogs and office software to organise a production process.