Edited 03/11/16: Preliminary Task Write-Up

Brief
   Our task was to film and edit a short film which included a character crossing a room, opening a door, sitting down and exchanging some short dialogue with another character. This was a continuity task in which we also aimed to include some of the skills which we had studied including the use of a variety of shot types and following the 180 degree rule.

Planning
   To plan our shoot, we firstly chose a script. We selected a section of dialogue from the film 'Mean Girls' which we thought would be suitable because it is set in a school (which is where we would be filming). Then we decided on the exact location which we would film in and visited it to check its layout. We used this knowledge to produce a floorplan and map out the movement of the characters. Following this, we were able to mark on the plan where we would position our camera to shoot from a variety of positions and angles to make the film interesting whilst still following the 180 degree rule to avoid the action becoming confusing. To ensure that we followed the 180 degree rule we marked the lines of action on to the plan so that we could see where we could place our camera directly on the line and on one side of the line (we chose the left of the protagonist). Next in our planning process we created a storyboard, sketching out some of the key shots to help us consider shot types and angles. This helped us when we filmed later because we already had a precise idea of what we wanted the film to look like so could clearly direct the actors.

Techniques
     One of the techniques which we used whilst filming was a variety of shots. For example our first shot was an extreme long shot which established the scene, giving the audience a clear presentation of the setting. This shot was also a high angle shot to emphasise the large size of the room. This angle also suited the script because the protagonist is supposed to be a lost student, so making the character look small could present their feelings of vulnerability. Another shot type which we used later in the film was a close-up which emphasised a key prop. This was shot from an overhead angle which we had seen used successfully in a clip from the film 'Coffee and Cigarettes' to present the contents of the table as well as emphasise the distance between the characters.

Coffee and Cigarettes

Another skill which we tried to use was continuity editing to make the action of our film fluid. Following the 180 degree rule was another technique which we used to make the direction of the action clear for the viewer. Our planning enabled us to do this successfully because we had a clear understanding of where our lines of action were so could carefully remain on one side of them. A technique which we used when editing our film was a short dip to black in the transition between rooms which we filmed in, attempting to make the transition seem more smooth. This was necessary because we had made an error when filming so did not have a shot between the protagonist opening the door then entering the room and the shot of them sitting in the chair. I will learn from this mistake in my next project by ensuring that we have all required footage to ensure continuity. Furthermore, we edited some of the audio in our film to make it more continuous; we used one audio clip of the background noise from the setting for the first few shots to avoid any sudden cuts.

Main learning points
     A practical aspect which I learned from this task was the necessity of using a tripod for stable still shots; some shots had to be carefully cut in editing to remove the most shaky parts when we did not use a tripod. In my next project I will definitely learn from this mistake and use a tripod for all shots unless a handheld camera will add a desired effect (such as creating a sense of chaos or disorientation). Further skills which I learnt from this task and will be able to apply in our next project were editing skills; I can now confidently use software to change the in-points/out-points of both video and audio, plus include transitions and adjust colour (which would be helpful in following the conventions of a film-noir thriller by making the mise-en-scene darker). The experience of planning for this task was also helpful as I now understand the value of creating a floorplan and storyboard because this made the filming process a lot more organised. Our study of how other film-makers film a conversation before we completed this task was also very helpful and in our next project I will try to incorporate more of their techniques. For example, I will try to use angles to present power imbalances like in 'Breaking Bad'. Another technique which we saw used in 'Breaking Bad' was over-the-shoulder shots and I would like to include more of these in my next film to position the audience with the protagonist. Furthermore, I will use shot reverse shot like in 'House of Cards' to emphasise opposition between characters as well as clearly present each character's reactions to dialogue to present emotion.

Strengths of our production include some shot variety, good use of the 180 degree rule and balanced sound editing. On the other hand, a weakness is that the camera is shaky at one point; a tripod would need to be used to improve this. Another weakness is that shot reverse shot, an important shot type which is commonly used when filming conversations, was not included.