Preliminary Exercise: Coursework Task - Evaluation

Here is my groups preliminary coursework task - to produce a simple continuity sequence containing a shot/reverse shot technique, the 180 degree rule and match on action.

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

For this task I worked with Laura, Holly and Bhavika. We worked well as a team throughout the various stages of the task - planning, production and editing. During the planning process we assigned each other different tasks, with one person drawing frames on the storyboard, one person writing on the storyboards, one person doing script and one person doing the shooting script. However, before anything we shared our ideas on what to film and came to a quick decision as of our location, actors and content of the film. Problems or disagreements were discussed and then fixed or resolved efficiently. During shooting, we rotated the roles. Two of our group were actors (Holly and Laura), so they directed shots in which they did not feature, whilst shots with both actors were directed either by Bhavika or myself. We rotated between the roles of director, and sound/assistant to the director so everyone got a chance to do both at some point. This system was continued in editing with each of the 4 group members getting around 15 minutes during the hour to take charge of the mouse. Decisions in editing were still made as a group but everyone got their chance to actually do the cutting and various other editing tecniques recquired to create the sequence. The group dynamics were always high with work done efficiently and without much complaint everyone stuck to their tasks.

2) How did you plan your sequence? What processes did you use?

In planning the sequence, the main processes we used were storyboarding, script writing and shooting script. First we brainstormed our ideas in group discussion before deciding on the best idea for the narrative. Next we picked a location and our actors, as well as managing the tasks between ourselves. We then applied our ideas and decisions to the storyboard, script and shooting script. Before shooting we did a walkthrough run using our location and actors in position. We were also allowed to test all our equipment ready and provided by the media department. We shot using the order provided by the shooting script in order to minimise time spent changing location and camera angle. This allowed us to finish shooting several shots within an hour. Next we captured our shots onto editing software and edited the sequence using our storyboard as a guideline - helping us complete a simple continuity sequence. Editing techniques we used were cutting, creating titles, creating transitions such as fades and cuts and working with seperate video and audio tracks to help our sequence flow and make sense.

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

In shooting we equipment provided by the media department - a Canon video camera and mini-DV to record onto. This came with an adpatable and flexible tripod. For sound we used were given standard camera mics, whilst boom mics were available but we chose not to use them. We used this hardware, as well as a climp board and all our paperwork, to shoot the film. Afterwards, using the editing software we captured our shots on to was Premier Pro and we used non-linear and diagonal editing to put our shots together with the help of titles and transitions. We used 2 video tracks and 1 audio track, and using the process of cutting we pieced our sequence together before rendering it as one clip. Finally, we posted our sequences onto youtube and linked them to our Media AS blogs at Blogger.com with the use of simple internet technology.

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

During planning we had to take into account that we had only the equipment provided by the media department with no budget, and only an hours time to complete our shots during shooting, so our ideas were simple in order to cater for these limitations. During walkthrough we got a better idea of the environment of our location, with lighting, sound and clutter. When it came to shooting we knew how to avoid problems with these issues as we had encountered them already. During shooting, we had to account for amature acting, unwanted background noise, and people such as teachers and year 13 students moving in and out of the media room we were using. This did not always help our time situation. We also had to account for simple equipment meaning we could not shoot anything too cinematic (with too much camera movement) as it was often hard to keep the camera movement smooth and steady. We had to take into account shot types, making sure framing was right, as well as simple continuity to do with position and matching on action. We succeeded these techniques, often using improvisation (such as placing the handheld camera on a shelf to film from an awkward angle, when the position was unattainable by tripod). Finally, we had to take into account for other groups in our class who were using the same department. Though in seperate rooms, people could be seen through doors, which would make for bad continuity, so we had to work between groups and give each other a fair chance to film what we wanted to film, by sharing time and space. By the time we started editing we realised another thing to take into account whilst shooting would be to make sure we had at least 2 takes of every shot and a very large range of shots, as some mistakes in shots were only identified when watching them back afterwards and there was not much back up in the way of other shots or different takes of the same shot to use instead. Finally, we had to take into account the use of technology and how it can often be temperamental, especially when editing. We were lucky to get through with no technical problems using the computer to edit, but this is not always guaranteed to happen, and if it does then you have to use your iniative to get past the problem.

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

Our sequence did work well in relation to the task set for us; to complete a simple continuity task involving a character opening a door, crossing a room and sitting down opposite another character to have a short conversation with. The story of our sequence featured all of these things, and this simple story was obvious due to the matched on action in every shot. This was particularly good at the beginning with the character looking through the door at the other character, then entering the room and sitting alongside her - the matched on action was perfect here. We used all the techniques mentioned in the task brief - match on action, shot/reverse shot and the 180-degree rule. The match on action helped the whole sequence flow and make sense, keeping constant continuity. We used the shot/reverse shot technique in the direct conversation between the 2 characters, lasting for about 4 shots. This worked well as we established both characters and saw their facial expressions at MS/MCU whilst they were talking, bringing more meaning to the conversation (with one character trying to be friendly but being more sympathetic of the other character who just wants to be left alone). The 180-degree rule was never broken during the shot/reverse shots, with the camera being shot over one characters left shoulder and then the other characters right. This was to keep perspective from looking the same and preventing characters from being in exactly the same position as this would confuse the reader giving the impression the characters were swapping positions and that the shots were not from the same conversation. The continuity techniques we used are not obvious, which is good as it shows they have been done well and the audience takes notice of the actual story. The basic continuity is there so I believe we have created a successful continuity sequence. We tried to add more excitement to it by making it funny in an ironic style, referring to the "blogging" side of our media coursework and playing on the fact that blogging has taken up alot of our time. This was shown in the sequence by the character chosing to blog rather than hang out with friends (something probably more funny to people involved in this media course than your normal audience). I believe this worked well mainly due to the awkward silences, sarcastic expressions of the sympathetic character and the acting in general. There were a few minor things that could have been avoided or done differently next time, one being to shoot more than one take of every shot, as one of our shots was interrupted by an arm in view in the bottom right hand corner, and we had no back up for this shot but was vital in our sequence. Also, the conversation was too quick and next time I would try and convince actors to leave slight pauses between each setence or mid sentence but still keeping the conversation flowing. A moment of our shot/reverse shot is too quick, flashing back and forth from each character too fast, and a slight pause would have prevented this. As well as this, the cutaway shot to the blog on computer screen is too still, and we could have filmed the whole conversation from this point of view in order to show the characters head turned towards the other character then back at the screen. This could have worked better in running with the rest of the sequence as well as producing another oppurtunity for a match on action. Other things that could be improved were the shaky camera movement and sound, but would be hard to improve with the equipment available to us. The conversation can be heard so it is just background fuzz that interupts the sequence (not a great deal). Other than that, framing, continuity and acting are fine and I believe our sequence both works well, is amusing and meets the brief.

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

The task gave me practise in actually going through the whole filming process in order to provide our sequence. In effect, producing this sequence (as being 30 seconds long) was like producing a quarter of an opening 2 minutes such as we will do for our projects. The processes I got practise in included using shooting in a different order to the storyboard using a shot script, providing actors with a script, using equipment such as mics to capture the sound and using the headphones on shoot ("sound, camera, action!"), using basic camera movements and learning to improvise to prevent a shaky camera or to shoot from an unusual angle, editing a sequence on Premier Pro following a storyboard and finally working in a group of 4 by taking everyones ideas into consideration and making group decisions. I learnt improvisational, technical and teamwork skills that will be helpful when shooting for my project, as well as basic organisation, knowledge and decision making that is vital to a filmmaker. Evaluating this preliminary coursework had also made me more aware of all the things I will have to take into account throughout the shooting process. I now understand how completely thorough, organised and professional you have to be on shoot, and this can be helped buy really organised and effective planning. I will have to make sure I have locations completely booked and certain people and equipment definately available for my use. I will have to use test shoots to my gain by doing thorough walk throughs as if I was actually on the real shot. Therefore, anything that does not work then I can fix for when it comes to the real thing. The most important thing is to be able to use your iniative and I believe I have learnt that and now have a greater understanding of what it will take to make my project sequence successful. There is so much to think about, but I have summed all this up in this evaluation, and can now use my experience of filming this basic continuity sequence throughout the rest of my project, and refer back to it to make sure I do not make the same mistakes whilst doing everything I got right the same. This task has been very beneficial to the rest of my foundation coursework.