Evaluation Q7

Thriller Research

Sep 11, 2013

We researched the Thriller genre individually, giving us knowledge of the generic conventions of the genre and analysed effective opening title sequences used in Thriller films. We did so we could plan the creation of our own Thriller film and construct our own opening title sequence.

Evaluation Q7

Period: Sep 11, 2013 to Feb 14, 2014

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

Forming groups and working together on the project

Oct 11, 2013

We began to plan our film with a group discussion, forming and contributing ideas with each other and seeing what would and what wouldn’t be effective to produce. Everyone contributed an idea and the work was spread evenly to one another. Working in a group was useful as forming a final idea was much easier, using everyone’s thoughts and contributions to produce something generic to the thriller genre. Although at times it was challenging when not everyone agreed on an idea, having to alter it.

Preliminary Exerice: Filming and Editing Continuity Exercise #2

Oct 18, 2013

We also had a list of shots we had to successfully produce such as various close ups, tracking shots and match-on-action shots. These were nothing we were familiar with so we were taught how to exactly produce each shot, which helped our prelim flow and present our new formed knowledge. We learnt how to plan a shoot and work well together as a team. This prelim went well apart from one shot where our teacher’s foot is in frame and the stability of the camera when tracking.

Preliminary Exerice: Filming and Editing Continuity Exercise #1

Oct 18, 2013

The prelim exercise introduced us to how to create a sequence that didn't break continuity while filming and editing. This was our first practical working with our assigned groups so it helped see how all of us worked together and stuck to our assigned roles of Cameraman, Actor or Director. We had worksheets letting us know what to include, making the prelim conventional to the thriller genre. We needed to include a shot of one actor joining the other at a table and a scene of a conversation.

Planning our Thriller Film/OTS

Nov 27, 2013

Following from the Prelim exercise we were more precise and technical with our planning, thinking about mise en scene and effective editing techniques. We didn't stick with our planning consistently but it was useful to have the ideas there when altering things on the day of shooting. With our film idea we created documents and a powerpoint presentation that we presented to the class with the pitch of the film 'RELEASED'. We disussed what inspired us, what will be portrayed and the synopsis.

Filming out Thriller OTS #1

Nov 29, 2013

At this point we were a lot more confident and encouraged to film again, thanks to the preliminary exercise. On this day of filming we shot around the college for the first hour then planned to head into town to shoot more. We used the shots and skills we learnt from the prelim to make our thriller conventional and effective. Unfortunately, some footage got lost from cameras memory card somehow and other shots from our footage were not shot well enough to use. So we scheduled a reshoot.

Filming out Thriller OTS #2 [RE-SHOOT]

Dec 6, 2013

At this re-shoot we made sure to follow within the narrative of our film and make good use of the focus and exposure options with the camera, to make our footage decent to watch. Not making the same mistake as the shoot before. Me and Harry (the editors) helped the Director and Cameraman with this. We used match-on-action and several close ups, presenting what we learn from the prelim. It went successful but next time i will make sure to be helping the Cameraman so there is no need for a re-shoo

Editng our Thriller OTS

Dec 13, 2013

We had a lot more time to edit our final OTS, in comparison to our prelim, so me and harry spent a lot more time trying to get perfect or at least generic for thriller title sequence. It was a lot more fun and simpler editing this as the prelim helped teach us the basic controls of Adobe Premiere, and with the extended time we had more options to work with following effects, transitions, techniques etc. I used Exponential Fades and a Film Burn transition I downloaded free from the Internet.

Quick Final Re-shoot

Dec 18, 2013

This reshoot wasn’t necessarily planned, it was merely because we thought of a good scene to shoot which would display the narrative and remove some un-needed location shots. Me and Harry (the editors) got the rest of our group to shoot several extreme close ups of our Anti-Hero character, Vincent – played by tom. The scene would consist of the character nervously fidgeting and having the camera focus on the quick eye movements, displaying the characters mental illness.

Summary

Feb 12, 2014

I more experienced in film making over this coursework period and am now much more confident in planning, shooting and editing a series of shots. Following from the prelim I had gained knowledge of how Adobe Premiere worked and this allowed me to create a much more effective a professional final piece. From being the editor I feel I have adapted more skills and techniques and become overall more confident editing footage.