Question 7: Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learn't in the progression from it to the full product?

Introduction:

   When we began our preliminary task, I had very little knowledge of how to plan, shoot and edit a film. For example, the only practice I had previously undertaken was getting to know my stills camera and when at GCSE level, editing videos for Information Technology on very basic editing software i.e. Windows Movie Maker. Therefore, I had a lot to take in, in terms of skills for use within the preliminary task; however, although at first daunting adapting to new principales, editing software and also overcoming problems, after the preliminary task I was eventually more confident in using and applying these skills to the Thriller opening task. 
   Furthermore, we were put in to groups with people that we have not previously known before, due to the mixing of new sixth form students. This helped me become better acquainted with the students in my class, and therefore when we were planning our thriller films discussing ideas with people outside of our group who I would not usually have spoken to allowed for constructive criticism and  new ideas to consider. 

Continuity Principles:

   Moreover, planning, shooting and editing the preliminary task allowed me to be ready for the preparation of our thriller opening, this is as I learned the importance of shot lists, storyboards, camera angles and continuity principales (i.e. 180 degree rule, shot reverse shot, match on action) prior to a shoot. 

   Match on action is the process of cutting from one shot to another in a different perspective in order to maintain the same motion, whilst engaging the previous shot. For example, within the preliminary task, although we thought that we had considered every aspect of planning at a few points, we forgot to follow the match-on-action guideline making the short task less smooth when played back all-together. Therefore, making this mistake within our preliminary task made me more aware of the importance of following the match on action guideline, and furthermore I had a more focused mindset about executing this principal when it came to planning our thriller opening, in order to allow for fluid shot changes and heightened sense of action. 

An example from our preliminary task, whereby, we didn't
consider the match-on-action guideline and therefore, Chione goes
from a moving motion to being stood still on the right. 

   Additionally, I learnt about principles such as the 180 degree rule, which states that two characters in a scene should always have the same left/right relationship. Whereby, I have progressed in my ability to understand the implications of crossing the imaginary line with the camera, as it can inflict disorientation within the audience, which would lead to less appeal of the action. Furthermore, shot reverse shot is another principle that I learned the importance of throughout the completion of the preliminary task. This technique is used to show two characters looking at each other, whereby, shots alternate of the characters during a conversation. Moreover, after experimenting with this technique within the preliminary task I felt that I gained confidence in the use of it and therefore decided to incorporate it within our thriller production in a way that challenges the natural idea.

Although unclear, an example from our thriller opening, whereby,
we have utilised the shot reverse shot technique between John and the watch.

Research:

White van from "Essex Boys".

White van used in our thriller opening.

   Through researching films, television shows and other texts that convey aspects of the thriller genre we were able to learn the significance of specific conventions portrayed within this genre, and furthermore apply this knowledge to our production. For example, I researched film such as "13 Tzameti", "A Clockwork Orange", "Essex Boys" and "Witness". The in-depth analysis we did in to films such as above helped us gain specific understanding of what is significant and effective within the thriller genre, therefore giving our group a greater knowledge of characters, props, shot types and specific conventions of mise-en-scene that would work well within our production. For example, we took note of the significance of a white van, through the research of "Essex Boys", and used it's link between crime and violence to connote aspects of our story line within our opening and also reference back to our research. This differed from our preliminary task, whereby, we didn't carryout any research into the specific subject, giving me a vague idea of what we actually needed to show. Therefore, I have learnt that research is crucial to understanding how mise-en-scene, characters, story, etc, should be composed in order to relate back to the genre, and furthermore research gave me confidence to contribute ideas about what we should feature within our production in order to establish it as a thriller opening. 

Planning:

    Planning is incredibly important in any media production, and therefore being introduced to this aspect of film making when creating a preliminary task aided our ability to plan a thriller opening; this is as we were able to learn from our preliminary task and take aspects of planning further to make sure that we got exactly what we wanted. For example, when we were planning to shoot our preliminary film, we didn't take costumes into consideration and therefore we just decided to go with what we were already wearing. Furthermore, within our thriller production we took note of this previous simplistic view and created specific costumes for our characters in order to connote the representation of their gender, race, age, etc. This allowed us to link back to conventions of characters within the thriller genre, e.g. John's black hoodie, creating a link between him and characters from gritty, council estate set thrillers.  Which, in turn, would hope to give the characters more meaning and add appeal to the mise-en-scene.

Editing & Sound:

   Furthermore, when editing our preliminary task I found the functions of the editing software we were using to be difficult to access and utilise in order to piece all of our footage together. For example, it took me a while to get to grips fully with finding and inserting transitions between shots. However, although editing was hard to come to terms with during the preliminary task, through practice I became more and more confident with the basic skills I needed to edit. This practice helped me significantly when it came to the editing of our thriller film, as I had the basic knowledge I needed to piece the film together, which further allowed me to explore and learn about the more advanced skills that would bring visual and auditory aspects to a higher standard. For example, colour grading in order to alter the look of the footage. Therefore, in completing a preliminary task I was able to build confidence and an overall independence towards editing for our thriller film that I wouldn't otherwise have if I didn't carry out this task.
   
    In addition, within the editing of our preliminary task we weren't introduced and didn't consider the importance of diegetic and non-diegetic sound. Therefore, when editing we didn't fiddle around with sound at all and left all diegetic sound in, which made the mise-en-scene seem realistic but not the situation. However, when planning, shooting and editing for our thriller production we learnt that sound was a top priority in terms of establishing genre and building suspense, we were able to progress in to the task with this knowledge through research into sound from other thriller films. For example, a scene I researched from "Full Metal Jacket" allowed me to understand how non-diegetic soundtrack can add eeriness to the mise-en-scene. Therefore, when shooting and editing our thriller production we made certain that we had a balance of diegetic sound and non-diegetic sound in order to add realism but build suspense. An example of this is when we incorporated the diegetic sound of Bill's van starting up, whilst in an extreme close-up shot of Bill's eyes, this added realism to the mise-en-scene and additionally allowed connotations for what was going to come through the starting of the van motor. Furthermore, we understood how crucial a soundtrack would be in emphasising the action and conveying similar traits to other thriller openings, and therefore we incorporated one in order to heighten tension through non-diegetic sound. Additionally, I learnt that when editing in the soundtrack I could alter the length and placement of it in comparison to the shots, and therefore in order to further maximise the suspense I could allow for the climatic points within the soundtrack to co-inside with tense footage. i.e. matching up pulses within the soundtrack with shot changes.

   
A clip from "Full Metal Jacket" where soundtrack plays a big part in connoting terror within the mise-en-scene.

Camera angles/ shots:

   Additionally, carrying out a preliminary task allowed me to explore the different camera angles and shot types, put them to practice and also learn about the importance of having a strong visual mind-set when going out to shoot. For example, within the planning of our preliminary task we set out a story board, but didn't write a shot list for when we went out to  film. The implications of this were that we didn't have a direct idea of what to shoot as from the storyboard it was quite difficult to interpret the drawings, and therefore it took some time to plan these shots whilst we were out shooting. However, as a result of this, I was able to learn that although storyboards are a well-set visual way of planning, a detailed shot list is easier for me to interpret when shooting. Therefore, when planning our thriller film my group decided it would be better to focus more on creating a detailed shot list along with a basic story board in order to make sure we getting exactly what we were visualising,  and when it came to shooting we found the shot list a lot easier to interpret. This was a result of learning through which planning suited our ideas best, and if we hadn't carried out the preliminary task we wouldn't have discovered this, which in turn, would have made the shooting for our thriller opening take a longer amount of time to complete, via lack of organization. 

An example of a shot that we experimented with,
whereby, John is running to the elevator, quite panicked.
The shaky movement of the camera, and closeness to
the character represents John's startled nature and isolation. 

   
   Furthermore, in shooting our preliminary task I have since gained confidence in experimenting and utilising different types of camera angles and shot types. For example, within our preliminary task we only experimented on a very small scale and although we utilised many camera angles and shots, we did this at quite a simple level. This is indicated through our use of primarily mid-shots, which were quite dull and didn't build up tension.  However, when it came to planning and shooting for our thriller production we were able to understand that we could take this basic practice and further replicate shot types in a more innovative and advanced way in order to increase action/suspense e.g. a variety of close-ups, whilst also linking specific media texts through the use of these shots.

Working within a group:

   Moreover, I've learnt that working within a group when making a media production allows for a high amount of creative input and ensures that the whole process of film making is efficient and well organised. For example, working within a group allows responsibilities and roles to be divided between individuals in order to ensure that every aspect of planning is strong, and one person isn't overwhelmed with having to focus on everything. Additionally, working within group for the thriller opening production allowed for a wide variety of ideas around the conventions that we could use in order establish our production as a product of this genre. This is as we had all each carried out our own individual research in to media texts that conformed to the thriller genre, and therefore we each had thoughts to what could work well when planning our film as well as a greater understanding of how mise-en-scene should be organised.

An example of where me and another group
member alternated shots within the same scene
via the use of two cameras.

  
    Furthermore, working within a group allowed the shooting process of our opening to be completed very efficiently. This is as me and another group member each used our own cameras, and therefore when shooting we could capture the same scene but from two different camera angles at the same time, meaning that we didn't have to waste time repeating the scene and gaining all of the shots on one camera. In addition, the use of two cameras also acted as safety when shooting, whereby, if one camera run out of battery or was broken during the shoot we could continue using the other camera. For example, another groups members camera ran out of memory during one of the shooting days and therefore we were able to continue using mine to finish up filming the rest of the footage. Furthermore, the use of two cameras was an idea we had after completing the preliminary task, this is as we only used one for the preliminary task and we learnt that this was more time consuming.

Individual contributions/ideas and responsibilities:

    When planning for the thriller opening our group each focused on an individual responsibility and contributed evenly. For example, one of my contributions was in suggesting the cliffhanger for our film, which was eventually incorporated within our thriller as the boot in the elevator. Furthermore, the notion of this type of cliffhanger was on my mind before we had thought of plot, location, character, etc, as it came to me after we had leant the importance of watching other media texts in order to find conventions, whereby, I then went off and watched "The Shining". This particular film contains a scene where the female lead (Wendy) is seeking security in a locked bathroom and suddenly the main antagonist (Jack) strikes an axe through the door, the idea of thinking you're in safety and then being confronted by something that can tear down this idea came as a terrifying prospect to me, and therefore I believed it would be effective within our thriller. In addition, this thought sprouted into the boot within the elevator door idea when one of the other group members suggested the location of a car park, as I immediately connected with the small, grimy lifts and believed this is where the cliffhanger could take place.  

 


   Furthermore, In terms of responsibilities, I was in charge of conferring with one of the actors in order to find out when he was available and when he had access to the van that we were using. This is as the actor's van was crucial to his work and as a manager of a company he had to allow for his employees to use the van for completing jobs around the area. Therefore, when planning I discussed with him the days that he wasn't working and the days that the van was available for use in order to feedback to the group what days we could go about shooting our thriller opening, and furthermore create a shootig schedule based upon his actions.  

Audience Feedback:

A completed questionnaire via one
of the students I asked.

   Once we had completed the final cut of our thriller opening, I gathered a small sample of students similar to the specific target audience that we were aiming our film at and gave them each a questionnaire to feedback regarding the various aspects of our production. i.e. mise-en-scene, narrative, camera work, editing, characters and clearness. Furthermore, when I received the completed questionnaires back I was very pleased with the feedback, as it was mainly positive. This overall positive response was a lot better than I expected as I felt that the narrative may have been rather confusing to understand and therefore could of put off our audience, which some participants did find confusing. For example, one participant couldn't understand why the girl was killed and therefore we could have drawn more association between her death and Bill's intentions. Nevertheless, the demographic seemed to enjoy the film for other qualities such as camera work and editing. Whereby, most participants rated these aspects as 4 or 5 out of 5. Consequently, this could identify my progression within camera skills from the preliminary task to our thriller opening as I have developed my knowledge of camera angles/shot types used in other media texts which make the mise-en-scene seem menacing, also, it could notify how far I've gone to experiment with my camera in order to gain a diverse vision of cinematography. 

Tutor Feedback:

An example of tutor feedback, and response to
it within planning. 

   In addition to feedback we received from other students and our targeted demographic, we also received feedback from our tutor throughout all stages of producing our thriller opening. Furthermore, this was very helpful in terms of shaping and re-adjusting our thriller opening as it allowed for encouragement on what worked well and suggestions for how to make aspects of mise-en-scene and story better. Additionally, through this type of feedback i've learnt how to respond in order to not just replicate the suggestions but to go further and expand on the points made about improvements, which I feel has sparked a great progression in my quality of work.    

Strengths of our production:

   Firstly, I deem one strength of our production to be the camerawork. This is as through my own personal extrapolation, the cameras that our group used (DSLR's) give footage a more ever present cinematic edge that poses as aesthetically appealing when watching our thriller production. Therefore, audiences may have been able to engage more with the mise-en-scene as there's an attraction about contrasting depths of field, as they are used consistently within more well known media productions. Additionally, this strength is supported through some of the feedback I gained from audience within my questionnaire as it was rated highly and one participant went as far to comment "Awesome, very professional".  

An example of our utilisation of the DSLR's
capabilities through shallow depth of field.

   Another strength that I consider our thriller production holds is the soundtrack. This is as without it there would be a severe lack of tension, as it helps to build up suspense slowly and effectively whilst fitting in perfectly with the shots from our production. Additionally, the cliffhanger would be much less dramatic and hard hitting without the harsh sting we added at the end, which I feel is a great way to end the sequence.   


Weaknesses of our production:

   In terms of weaknesses, although our production seemed clear to our group on paper and when shooting, my tutor and audiences struggled to understand what was specifically happening in terms of plot and narrative. This is as we had been so immersed in the idea that we knew what was happening but failed to make this entirely clear to the audience, we could have better done this through drawing more association between John and Hanna, Bill's objectives and Hanna's watch in order to portray a better formed narrative. However, it was hard to go back and do this due to limited access to the location we were filming in and availability of cast. 

   Additionally, there is a scene within our film that we discovered after uploading to our computers and reviewing with our tutor seemed very unclear because of the lack of light that inhibited it. Therefore, this weakness distorted the action and has evidently lacked the appeal of audience e.g. A participant in the questionnaire I conducted responded to a question about improving the appeal with "lighting". In the edit, I attempted to improve this scenes appeal by increasing the brightness, however, in doing so the brighter I pushed it the more distorted the mise-en-scene became. Moreover, the logical way to improve this would have been to go out and shoot again whilst considering a source of non-ambient lighting to introduce within the scene. 

   Consequently, I have learnt from these weaknesses and therefore when going on to make other media productions I can bear these in mind in order to keep appeal at it's highest. For example, I recently produced a very short film where I made lighting my key priority. This is not in a dissimilar way to the progress I have made from my preliminary task, whereby, I learnt from my mistakes and ensured they wouldn't occur within the thriller production.

What is the most important aspect of film making you've learnt about that you didn't know before?

   I can conclude that the most important thing I've learnt about film making is planning, this is as it is very important that you know exactly what you want to convey before a film is made. Furthermore, if planning isn't enforced then the whole notion of film making doesn't have a structure as, when filming without a plan it's most likely that scenes won't connect with each other due to a wide variety of different ideas, and therefore it's important to condense and compile these ideas in to a well structured visual narrative. Consequently, with the knowledge that planning is crucial to the film making process I have learnt that considering audience when at pre-production stage is essential, as if they are not depicted as a vital part then you may make a good film; however, audiences may lack appeal due to inability to relate with the content.