Oliver Turner AS MEDIA: Preliminary Task: Lesson 1 and Evaluation

Link to our Preliminary film: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6MOJQ2P-4koWWJ3OVRoTTJ5eHM/view

In our first lesson of as media studies we were asked to create a preliminary task. This involved filming someone walking through a door and engage in a conversation with someone else and then leave. We were told to  include filming techniques: match on action, the 180 degree rule, and shot/reverse shot.

Filming Shots:

• Match on action-This is an editing technique in which a shot is filmed from one perspective and then cuts to another view of that same action.

• 180 Degree Rule- This a guideline where the on screen spacial relationship between characters or objects within a scene. 

• Reverse Shot-When someone is filmed from behind looking at another person (usually within conversation) and then the other person is filmed looking back at the original character. 

Evaluation:
As a group of five we discussed our idea rather quickly, suggesting that the plot should be kept simple and include only two characters. Our video is around 30 seconds long again making the video all the more curious and enigmatic. We used a tripod to keep the camera steady whilst filming; this really helped us get a steady shot. The tripod equipment was also very light meaning we could carry it easily from one place to another and really focus on the filming side of the task. It also meant we didn't have to hand hold the camera which made the filming element considerably easier and more professional. After filming, we had a lesson to edit the footage using Adobe Premiere Pro. This software allowed us to import and edit our clips. Initially, we started doing basic things like adjusting frames and making sure it was in order. However, as we started to understand the program we could develop our skills and focus on effects like "exposure" and "glow" or lighting that I think gives the footage a more professional outlook. The lighting effect in particular really  helped us change the overall mood of the scene as to begin with it was quite bright and warm looking but by changing a few visual elements we could gradually manipulate the light intensity/exposure, contrast, blurr, and other effects to make it look slightly more cold/dull looking which suited the sort of style we were after. However, as this was our very first film-making experience that clip could be improved through numerous ways. For example, the camera angles often appear of balance and the subject matter not in the centre. Also, some scenes like the filming of the door, last for too long which prevents the storyline to continue as smoothly as they could as opposed to a shorter and more dramatic clip. One reason behind this was mainly lack of experience with equipment like the tripod but also because our hand held camera had no charge, meaning we had to hold the cable in to a socket whilst filming which was a compromise to the positioning of the camera itself.
Ultimately though, I feel the Preliminary task was successful as it meets the required specification (this being to film a character opening a door and exchanging dialogue with another character) and things like the lighting were in fact of a good quality to make the scene a little more believable. Alternatively, next time I compose my own filming sequence I will ensure that things like the camera battery are charged and things like the subject were in the centre of the frame, also taking into consideration the background noise which is particularly noticeable outside-perhaps investing in a boom pole or non-diagetic commentary in a music studio?