Preliminary Task & Analysis

During our preliminary filming, we have learnt how to use the cameras and how to use a variety of shots whilst keeping with the 180degree rule. The cameras are lightweight and small enough to do hand held shots meaning that we get a better shot than if we were using the tripod all the time. After collecting all our footage we were able to edit it to create our preliminary video using Final Cut Pro 7. We have learnt how to import the footage into final cut pro and to drag and drop footage on to the timeline and therefore build up our video. We also learnt how to cut out and discard unwanted shots.

The filming of our preliminary task could have been improved if we better organised our shots and planned on paper which shots and camera angles we were going to use rather than just say which ones we were using. We found the same with the dialogue. The dialogue we used was improvised, as we did not plan it fully. We wrote key words onto pieces of paper and left them in front of us to get ideas of what we were going to say rather than planning out the sequence of our dialogue. Although we found this a problem during filming, when we came to editing our footage, we found that this worked to our advantage. Whilst we were recording we were getting stressed out, watching our footage showed that our moods reflected in the way we were acting and therefore set a better atmosphere between us as the mood of the video was aimed to be angry, as the student had been misbehaving. After the troubles of filming we were able to sit down and edit our work. We found this easier to do as we each had specific roles into the creation of our preliminary task. One member of the group was in charge or the editing of the footage and the other members were responsible for coming up with ideas of how to improve sound and how to make shots flow into the next.

In the time frame of 30-40seconds, we have used a shot reverse shot combination. We used this to show conversation between the teacher character and the father and then to the student. We also used it to show reaction to the previous dialogue. Our first shot was of the teacher explaining why the student and her parent had been called in for a meeting. We filmed this shot from over the shoulder of the father character. Our next shot shows the fathers reaction to this dialogue. The third shot in this sequence goes back to the teacher who explains more into the reasoning of the meeting. The camera then cuts back to the student and shows her reaction to what has been said.

In the time frame of 7-9seconds, we used a match cut in the editing of our film. The student and father walk through the door then at 7seconds we use a shot of their feet walking along the floor. This allows us to cut out the amount of time that it would have actually took to walk from the double doors to the classroom door. In these two seconds we are able to get from one door to the other, which would have normally, took around 5seconds.

We managed to achieve continuity in our film by ensuring that the shots flowed one into the other. The transitions between our shots were smooth and looked seamless. We used fast paced editing. An example of this would be the door sequence during the time frame of 11-17seconds.