Question 7:

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

When we were given the objective of filming the preliminary task, we were asked to film a walking scene which leads to a conversation in the restricted area of our school (Norwich City School). The planning was really quite simple. We had to create a floorplan which involved each the positioning of the camera in order to get the right camera angles and also to write a short script for the two characters. Then after filming we had to edit all the scenes (Cut the scenes) and put them together to create a continuous short clip. We also had to keep in mind not to break the 180-degree rule when filming the conversation and that concludes the preliminary task. 

Floorplan 1

Floorplan 2

Whereas when we were filming 'Kremlin' our thriller opening we had to research and prepare thoroughly. First, we had to come up with some kind of a story subsequently, and most critically,  we needed to decide what we wanted to establish in our opening. Genre, characters, plot, theme , tone/mood or location. Therefore, we needed to conduct a great deal of research of different real media clips to see how they had established and how they achieved the result. We then had to come up with character background information and think of the mise en scene and props and different camera techniques in order to properly establish our characters. Furthermore, we decided that we needed to establish the location that would ensure the audience believed this was a British gangster film. This resulted in us needing to visit and select from various locations to ensure we had the best chance of success. Choosing the right floor plan was a 'must' because we needed to know where we would position our camera in order to establish a certain something either the character or the transaction of the plot devices. When thinking of camera angles and positioning we had to keep in mind where and when we would place our titles, and in order to accomplish this we had to research a few films and note down at what time of the sequence and how they had placed their titles. After successfully filming the scene. We need to choose the correct font that would connote and establish the gritty violent genre of our opening.

Shot reverse shot

Overall I have learned various camera techniques such as shot reverse shot when filming a conversation this technique created the smooth continuity between two people talking. Also the 180 degree rule was something I have never heard of before, but when learning about it I realised the significance of the camera positioning and how important it is when trying to film a conversation. When breaking this rule the scene instantly starts to look disoriented and not just not right, the position of the characters change when breaking it and in order to create a sense of understanding of the position of the characters in set 180 is highly important. I also clearly understood that when filming a scene the critical importance of using a variety of shots , as it creates a totally different meaning depending on what type of shots and angles you may use. For example, lower angle shot of a person instantly creates a sense of power and authority or perhaps how close-up make the scene seems much more intense. The variety of shots and how you present them by itself can establish the tone, pace, and narrative of a film.

180 degree rule

Furthermore, it made me understand how important team work and detailed preparation are, especially when working with a group because then you need to bring maximum efficiency to the table and when time is limited that is exactly what you need. A good example would be when Conner and I were editing the final cutI we gave each other precise objectives with deadlines;

for example, he would take care of the titles whereas I would edit the sound. We gave ourselves specific jobs to do which meant that we both knew exactly what we had to do and it saved us a lot of time. However, there are also disadvantages when working with a group because then you have to rely on your team mates and if somebody for whatever reason forgets something or is late the whole process and production can be put on hold and of course in a professional production 'lost time= lost money'!.

TEAMWORK IS KEY!