Sarah Barnes G321: Looking back at your preliminary task (the continuity editing task), what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

In our preliminary task, our group had to practice on how to use the camera, getting to grips with the editing software, Adobe, and how to upload our footage onto the computer.

Our preliminary filming consisted of a character opening the door and then a few lines of dialogue. Within this footage we had to demonstarte our camera shots. Such as match on action, shot reverse shot and the 180 degree rule. As well as medium, short, low and high angled shots.
Since the preliminary task our group has come a long way in developing our skills when using teh technology. How to use Adobe to its fullest by adding music, credits and also getting to grips with the camera fully.

For our final product, we used a number of different camera shots. We had to make sure that the camer shots flowed smoothly to make it look as realistic as possible. We did this by playing around with the editing software. We still included the basic rules of filming such as the 180 degree rule, shot reverse shot, low high and medium camera angled shots that we used in our preliminary task.
We used a range of filming locations, Kate's house and filming opposite her house too, to give the film a different affect. And by filming in the woods we gave a meaning to our film, for example, tension for a horror film.

Since completing the preliminary task we have improved on all of our skills. From filming with a steady camera, editing shots, downloading credits and music as well as creating our final piece of footage.
Some of these skills we did not need to use in our preliminary task, so when we had to add music into our film and add credits we found this a challenge.

While editing we experimented with a lot of editing software. Transitions was the most important thing we had to use to finallly pull our film together. We had to make the first opening scene look like a horror film to captivate our audiences attention and give the effect of tension from a horror film. We did look at a few films as to there opening sequences to see how ours compared.

We found that different shots had different meanings. For example, we had to use ,low angle shots when filming Emma to give that feeling of vunerability. a vunerable teenager at home, on her own, waking up from a nightmare, and a low angle shot showing the killer has a lot of power and meaning while getting closer to the vuinerable Emma.

On my own I have learnt a lot through media already. How certain angled shots create different meanings and have different affects. (E.G. Tension) If a shot is set from high above then it give the sense of vunerability and that you know something is about to happen, usually included in horror. Whereas, a low angled shot would give the impression that the person the camera is looking up to has power and authority over everyone else. Stereotypically making the audience feeling uncomfortable. Close up shots show important objects and long distance and establishing shots show the location of where the film is taking place setting the scene and giving first impressions. Since the preliminary task my group and I have learnt a lot about how to use the technology. Such as the camerawork and editing. Looking at my preliminary task to my final film, you can see how much of an improvement my group and I have made in just over a few months. By doing the preliminary task, it shows just how little we knew about camera work and editing, but now looking at our final film it shows how much we have improved in our camera and editing techniques.

Screen Shots from the preliminary task;