Preliminary Task Evaluation

This task consisted of working in pairs to produce a short film of walking through a door, using a variety of shots and angles. In pairs, we had to plan our plot using a storyboard, script the sequence, devise a shooting schedule and use two other members form our class as our cast. I worked with Sharon and we met the day the task was set so it was fresh in our minds and so we would stay up to date with our work. We both worked on a simple script and storyboard to ensure we had interesting shots and a variety of them. However, when it came to devising a shooting schedule, I did not have the storyboard to know when and where would be most efficient to shoot first because Sharon had taken it home. So Sharon did this and I printed scripts for the cast instead. I feel that we worked very well as a duo because we were both very strong minded about what we wanted the outcome to be like. Our shared passion to be successful in this task meant that when it came to shooting we acted responsibly, getting at least two takes of every shot and not wasting any time. The only problem we really faced was the issue with the shooting schedule. Although we worked around it I still feel that I should have contributed more and will consider that for the future each member of the group will need a copy of everything, to avoid one person doing the work alone.
Throughout the whole of our planning, I felt we were being very thorough and detailed, however in hindsight I think we could have looked more into the problems we could face. For example, when it came to the location, we thought of angles and different shots from memory but we didn’t actually go to the location and act out what it was we pictured. I thought that was the benefit of a storyboard? So, when it came to filming within the leisure centre I didn’t even consider that there could be members of the general public in there! I will learn from this by doing a location recce next time and this should make things easier when it comes to filming, as we’ll know what to expect. That way, with a clear storyboard picturing what we would film and having the reassurance that the location and surroundings were appropriate, the planning process would help the filming process run a lot smoother. Additionally, through the duration of preproduction we found that neither of us could draw very well! So this resulted in a stickman storyboard, which Sharon and I both understood and imagined similarly. With this in consideration, when we were on set, we envisioned the actual shot differently. From this I learned that the storyboard does not set the shot in stone; it’s more of a rough guideline that allows individuals to picture a camera shot as you do.
The technological equipment that we used at first seemed expensive and fragile. Now that I have worked with it I know that my first impressions are stronger than ever, however I still felt confident about setting up the camera on a tripod to get a stable picture. I learned that practice makes perfect when it comes to setting up the tripod to the correct height and doing everything systematically. The more you do it, the more routine it becomes, and the final checks before filming included an appropriate height for the director (Sharon) and if we did have to adjust the tripod for low angle and high angle shots, the spirit level was always adjusted too. I didn’t really face many major problems with the camera, although the first one we were given as a group would not function for us to put the tape in. We worked around this by swapping cameras with one that did and everything ran smoothly after that. After having an experience of actually being out, independently filming I came to the realisation that as a sixteen year old student I am very lucky to have this opportunity to work with such technology. However, now that we have analysed the basis of independent films, it has become more apparent how easy it is to produce your own films.
Whilst planning, we had to consider any possible problems we may face, so that we would be fully prepared to handle or even avoid them. We had to plan which camera shots and angles to use in order to have a variety and we then discussed how they would fit into our short film. To do this, we looked at characters and decided that seeing as our location would be somewhere around school, the most appropriate roles would be a pupil and a teacher. We then knew this would work well as a teacher has more authority then a pupil, so a low angle and high angle shot could easily be used to make it interesting and still link well to the status of the characters. Additionally, when devising our shooting schedule we had to take into account what would be the best way to film the different shots that saved the most time and in the least amount of takes necessary. In order to do this, we looked at every shot that would be in the leisure centre and worked through those, and then analysed which exterior shots were left to do. During planning I think it was quite rushed but not intentionally. By this I mean that, personally, I was so eager to get out and begin filming that I didn’t take the planning procedures as seriously as I should have. For example, when it came to the issue of continuity I had the frame of mind that when we actually got out there to film, we would realise that someone was meant to have a prop or that a characters’ hair wasn’t supposed to change. In hindsight though I now have learned that it would only help to right elements like that down; to make sure you do not jump from one shot of someone running along their hair all over the place, to the same person all of a sudden sitting in a room not even a little bit flustered. Whilst actually shooting, we had to come to terms with the fact that we were trying to film scenes in a public place. Although it was very annoying and frustrating, there was nothing you could to about someone walking into the background of your shot; how were they to know they were obstructing someone filming? This is why in the future a location recce will take place because if the problem persists that much, the simplest way to avoid it would be to change locations. During post production (also known as editing) both Sharon and I had to take into account that we had never used this software before and so patience was vital! I must admitt, it was very frustrating having the software up and running one day, and then not being able to do a single thing the next due to the convinience and reliability of modern technology! Additionally, we payed very close attention to each of the steps Ms. Bundy outlined in order to make our assemble. When digitising (capturing) our rushes and transferring them from the camera to the computer, we made sure we had enough time at the beginning and end of a shot to edit it further. However, a problem we faced was that when actually filming a shot, we hadn't left enough time after cutting. So, to be particular, the "DETENTION" scene cuts off the end of Thelma's speech. We tried to resolve this by looking at other takes, however we only recorded one during digitising. Therefore, i will learn from this in future by recording at least two good takes so i have more to wrok with. The final problem i can recall was making the whole sequence more interesting. We overcome this by slowing one scene down - trying to make it last longer - however, because we slowed it down and there was dialogue within the scene, it made Thelma's voice low and authoritive. This was surprising as the outcome was unintentional but it worked to our advantage.
I think that the partner I worked with (Sharon) made a great impact on how well the sequence went. Working together felt very dynamic and consistent; why she would film a shot in the leisure centre I set up the tracks outside ready for the next set of shots. I trusted that she would make sure we had enough takes and that we could edit them easily. I believe that the running shots we did worked very well – especially considering we had only had a limited amount of practice using the tracks! It made our sequence look a lot more interesting in comparison to just having a static long shot. Furthermore, to my knowledge we did not break the 180 degree rule. When filming the conversation between Esma and Thelma, there was a point when I suggested to Sharon that we do another take from a different angle; thankfully she pointed out that this would be breaking the 180 degree rule and would make the sequence look disorientated and confusing. I liked the fact that within our group, we were teaching each other things as well as learning from our own mistakes. We incorporated reverse over the shoulder shots during the conversation which was part of our task and this wasn’t as hard as we first anticipated. The main problem I can recall is forgetting a shot once we thought we had finished. So, we had to quickly set everything back up and with literally two minutes left of our designated hour, we had to shoot a close up of a clock, and so what conveniently happened? The clock stopped working! When we went to edit this rush, we came to the conclusion that there was really no point in using it. It looked pathetic and would bring the impact of the entire sequence down so we worked around it by using a shot of Thelma waiting instead. Obviously, when shooting, you see the frames on a camera and so that is the only judgement you have to go by. When you transfer the shots onto the computer the sequence becomes a lot more realistic and really starts to come together. In hindsight, the main problems i can avoid all originate in the planning process. In one of the shots, there are people within the background of a frame and this did work at first, although when we went to the next shot there wasn't as much noise so the continuity was slightly interrupted. We could have avoided this by doing a location recce and being aware of these problems before filming.
I have learned numerous things from completing this task. Firstly, planning is essential if you want your final product to be successful. I wish now that I had looked into every aspect and possible problem that could occur, although if I had, I probably wouldn’t have learned as much. Secondly, if you do not communicate within your group/pair you will never get anywhere with any task! Thankfully this wasn’t a problem with my group/pair but I know that if we didn’t talk and discuss different issues, we would not have worked as well together. As far as time management goes, I think it’s all a part of planning. If we had really sat down and analysed how long we’d take on each shot, which shots we may need more time on if it will be hard to get due to surroundings or panning etc. I’ve learned that how you manage your time is dependant on the importance of different shots within your sequence. A technical factor I have learned is that if the spirit level is not level; neither is you shot in the frame! One problem we came across was the positioning of the camera that was actually on a slight slope. Before we actually recorded the shot, we realised this and adjusted the spirit level however, during the rehearsal of the shot we didn’t notice. I have also learned that the continuity sheet should be filled out quickly after the shots. There’s no point wasting ten minutes deciding what takes were useful or not because within that time, you could have easily taken another one. I do however, believe it to be useful in keeping up to speed with what shots you have and have not got. Overall, the main lessons I can take from this experience is that team communication is vital, all elements of planning are essential and that you should not celebrate a finished day of shooting once you’re sure you have all of the shots you need; because you’ll only feel greater disappointment when you realise you’ve missed one!
Overall, the editing side of production was fun because it felt good to see all of your hard work coming together and working well. Although, at times it was very annoying and sometimes tiring. I think that the more practice i get with the software the more able i will become. As i noted before, there was a problem within the first day of editing! During the first lesson where everyone was new to the program and everyone was testing out digitising, adding effects etc. Our computer worked fine. However, typically, the next lesson where we planned to finalise shots and create an assemble; the capturing window was "offline." After changing fire wire leads, cameras and even computers, we came to the realisation that it wasn't going to work for us. We had lost a whole hour where we could have begun pulling our rushes together, and so as a result of this we came back that day after school and what happened? The software decided to work. This was a lesson that thankfully i learned early on in my media studies course. The technology will not always agree with you but if you're patient enough, it will be worth it in the end! We only had to digitise shots after school to catch up with the class however we both decided we may as well carry on and finish what we can whilst the software was up and running. This worked to our advantage because the lesson after we were finished before other groups, even though we had lost a lessons worth of work. A strength i saw in both me and Sharon was the fact that we agreed on near enough everything. We knew when a shot looked good and we immediately understood when it didn't. I was so happy that we worked like this because it gave me the confidence to think that i can tell the difference between something that is worth using and something that isn't. For example, we both knew straight away that the clock close up was hopeless and we deleted it instantly. If we had disagreed on a rush i probably would have felt more like i didn't know what i was doing and my confidence would have been knocked, although this was not a problem. Our only weakness was that once we had completed our sequence, it felt like we were looking for problems. Almost as if we couldn't beleive all the filming and planning resulted in less than 30 seconds worth of a sequence, we started to get fussy and doubtful in our previous decisions. I think we both realised this because after trimming our shots we kept watching it over and over. I learned that it's better to watch a sequence with a fresh mind and so we had Esma and Thelma watch it, meaning their audience feedback was new and fair, because they had only watched it once. To conclude, i would say that the whole editing process is fun no matter how frustrating it gets. I have accepted this and will learn from my mistakes in future tasks. I also feel the project in general was an essential learning curve in preparation for our main task, and this hopefully will cut down mistakes and so give more time for making the final product a success.