Evaluation

What have I learnt:

From this task, I have learnt that working as a team is essential for success. I've learnt all about different camera angles and shots and how to make shots look fluid and realistic using the 180-degree rule. Editing was pretty difficult but once we got the hang of it, it was pretty easy so I now feel like I am able to use iMovie effectively.

What worked well:

We were able to film quickly and edit without too many problems. We worked well as a team and we made sure that we both knew what each other was doing and when to do it so that neither one of us would be sat around doing nothing whilst the other did all the work.

What didn't go well:

From my perspective, I think we needed to spend more time on our story-boards. They do not look professional and are quite messy so we should have spent more time on them, focussing all of our attention onto them for an hour or something to that respect. I think we should have slowed down a little as well as I feel we rushed to finish it a little bit. Another thing would be making the final cut more fluid and make sure that the audience don't work out where each shot has been cut etc.

FINISHED PRODUCT!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DHUSTGN56I

Storyboard

I think it's safe for me to say that drawing up my storyboard has been a challenge. I am not the most artistic of people and just looked at my own drawings makes me laugh.

But, despite my dire attempts at drawing from different angles and substituting all my drawings for stick people, I had managed to complete my story board for our preliminary task. Dan seems to be taking more care into his but I've just realised that I don't draw and can't draw and probably never will be able to draw.

In my storyboard, I have drawn out every angle and shot we will be using when filming. It shows which directions actors are going to be walking in and it explains what is going on in that particular shot underneath.

As I have said, please excuse me extremely poor artistic skills.

Script

This is the script that we will follow for our preliminary task.

We found it pretty hard trying to write a script for something with only four lines in but we tried our hardest, making sure it was easy for us to understand and follow.

We also decided to talk about camera angles in a separate document so that we have something for the actors to follow and something for Dan to follow separately (as he is in charge of filming and I am in charge of directing the actors).

Planning the task!

Myself and Dan started to plan our task. We originally drew a mind-map to sort out our original ideas. Luckily, we both agreed on the same idea to start with so we didn't have to sort through loads of different ideas and compromise on one. 

I decided to write up our mind-map onto the computer on a word document as the mind-map got pretty messy with doodles and things which had been crossed/scribbled out and I'd rather present something which is clean and neat. 

Our plan consists of the storyline we have chosen to follow for the preliminary task and any other facts we had to include, like the setting, when we were filming, what the costume will be, what we are going to edit with and who will be doing what work. This ensures that we will be organised with our time and make sure that we are both equally involved in the task. 

Example of 180-degree Rule

Whilst this video is quite long, it is very good at explaining the 180-degree rule in detail. It's quite hard to get your head around but this video has helped and now it makes a lot more sense to me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HinUychY3sE

Example of Shot/Reverse Shot

This is a perfect example of Shot/Reverse Shot being used. It shows two people having a conversation whilst sticking to the 180-degree rule.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLkUHZ1qips

Example of Match On Action

This an excellent example of Match On Action in use and it helps me get a good idea of how it is used and how it works.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1Nx1o7fkVM

Preliminary Task Brief

"Continuity task involving filming and editing a character opening a door, crossing a room and sitting down in a chair opposite another character, with whom he/she then exchanges a couple of lines of dialogue. This task should demonstrate MATCH ON ACTION, SHOT/REVERSE SHOT and the 180-DEGREE RULE."