Preliminary Evaluation

Evaluation of my Preliminary Production Task

Georgina Brown

The Preliminary Task gave me an authentic insight into the process of producing a short film. Before this task, I had never used a video camera to produce a narrative. I took the main role in the physical filming of the piece as the group believed that my personal interest in photography would aid me when framing shots, and as a result I developed my skills considerably.

I have learnt that filming takes time, and requires a large level of perseverance. Also, the camera can perform many functions to aid the filming such as sound control, white balance and focus, which I was previously unaware of. The process is much more strenuous and repetitive than I had realised, and mistakes are easily made; especially regarding continuity. Such mistakes occurred at both the time of shooting and within the editing procedure. For example, shots seemed to jump from one to the other, as the angle of shot changed ever so slightly each time. This was mainly due to human error. Formerly, I hadn’t appreciated the number of shots needed for only a couple of seconds of film, and the length of time it takes to film and organise these shots.

I also hadn’t appreciated the degree of planning needed for each few seconds of film. For example, story boards could be used to visualise ideas, then a script must be written and a setting found. It was also easy to slip in to a repetitive, ‘monotonous’ style of filming, where each shot used the same angle, same level of zoom etc. To avoid this, we used a variety of shot such as tilting, panning, establishing, close up and shot/reverse shots.

When I had reached the editing stage, there were numerous occasions when I wished I had a different angled shot at my disposal; it would have helped with continuity and made the film appear less staccato and move fluently. Actions appeared to ‘jump’ from shot to shot, so in future I will be more aware of the exact movement the actor is making, and ensure that precisely the same movement is performed in each shot, or use angles greater than 30°
.
The editing software, Pinnacle Studio HD15, allowed me to add sound effects, when appropriate, and to enhance shots by making them vivid and interesting. I also inserted transitions between shots, and I found that dissolves and fades worked best when signifying that time had passed. This was particularly useful when the shots ‘Jumped’, as previously mentioned.

Another difficulty we had to overcome was background noise. Although atmospheric, it sometimes obscured the dialogue, which was the main focus for the shot. The background noise also altered marginally from shot to shot. Furthermore, ‘passers by’ wished to be ‘involved’ in the shooting, and often shouted inappropriate phrases whilst we were filming. This was a shame, as sound therefore had to be cut from a selection of our scenes. When producing my AS production, it may be more beneficial to film in a more secluded location, as it minimises both background noise and interference. I also learnt that when filming material such as a window or mobile phone, reflections of the camera were clearly seen. To solve this, we had to film these shots using a more oblique angle.

Despite the difficulties and mistakes, I am thoroughly pleased with the outcome. I can see that there is room for improvement, however the piece runs smoothly, uses a variety of shots and follows all the required elements for the preliminary task. I am particularly thrilled with the ‘Match on Action’ as it appears precise and seamless. This took time to achieve, as the shots had to be edited very carefully, frame by frame, to ensure the continuity was exact.

MY PRELIMINARY FILM


Untitled from Georgina Brown on Vimeo.

Welcome!

Hello! My Name is Georgina Brown, and I am currently studying at Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School.  The following blog is a record of my endeavours in producing a two minute thriller opening.