Name: Ella-May Matthews Areas of Interest Date started: 06/04/21

Filming-Camera work, editing, Music videos. Photography-

wedding photography, landscape photography.
Long term Goals

I would like to have a business where I have full creative freedom to make films and photographs. I enjoy both mediums of work and being open to making films and
photographs will give me the chance to book more jobs. I would like to have a mini studio/office space near where I live so that I have a space to go to and create work. I
can invite clients into the space, for example I could take family portraits there. A lot of my photography work in the past has been based on memories so I would love to
be able to create photographed memories for other families to cherish. As well as my own studio/workspace I will be able to work outside and on locations depending on
the project.
Medium Term Goals

I would like to leave university with my BA and find a part time job. I would spend time on personal projects and share them with my audience so that I gain myself a name. I
will offer people my time and do some unpaid photography and film work.
I would like to work on a few film sets, even if it’s a student short film, it's all experience and covid-19 has stunted the amount of film sets I have been able to work on during
my 3rd year at university.

Last Objective or Goal achieved?

Completed an FdA in photography during a global pandemic. I had to adjust to online learning the last three months which I was not used to because I was used to attending my
university campus and learning face to face but the pandemic stopped everyone from meeting.
For my initial university project I submitted a film, which is the first one I’ve ever made and I got 68% which is a high 2:1 in the creative outcomes part of the project which I am
proud of because I didn’t think I would get that grade.
Areas of Strength (Knowledge, skills, and competencies)
I am usually early to places. I am good at planning my time so I am not late.
This is a good skill to have because working with clients will mean sticking to
a time schedule.
University has taught me how to photograph a variety of things. It has also
shown me that I can create a project and hand-in on the deadline day.
I have learnt how to solve problems when it comes to project briefs, I have
always completed a project that has been given to me.
I have learnt how to use zoom and teams over the pandemic.
Opportunities (External factors that could help me)
During the pandemic, the university has been able to organise more people
to talk to us over teams and zoom. Usually we would only have a few guest
lecturers a year but this past year we have had lots which means I have
learnt about more businesses and people involved with lens based media.
This means I know of more places to go to after university to find funding
and learn more skills.
I have the opportunity to save my money and buy my own personal
equipment that I won't have to share or book out like I did during my years
at university. There are certain things I have learnt to use that I could buy.
Areas of Weakness (Knowledge, skills still need to develop)
I have only started learning about film in my 3rd year at university which has put me at
a disadvantage as I haven't had as long as my classmates to explore the world of film
or been taught certain skills that they would have learnt in previous years of studying
film.
Talking to clients. A lot of my projects are personal so I don’t have to talk to people. This
means I haven't learnt how to talk to clients and involve them in planning the creative
outcome. Covid-19 made this harder as I haven't been able to offer to complete jobs for
people or attend film sets with my classmates. I also struggle with public talking.
I think I need to be more culturally aware of what's out in the world I usually only pay
attention to pieces of work that I have an interest in but my knowledge would be
broader if I were to be aware of more things.
Threats (External factors that could stop/hinder me)
Covid-19 has made it so that people are unable to meet face to face which has
hindered being able to talk to clients and make photos and films for them.
After I leave university I will have less access to equipment. I will just have my own
cameras and lenses. At the university campus they have an adequate sized
photography studio and I will lose that space.
Objective 1 – Be How will I Timescale: Key Actions: Support
Specific achieve this? Things I need to do Required?
Create the art and lyrics on paper and set up my Make lyrics and drawings
I would like to photograph three pieces of Today (6th None needed.
camera to take the photographs.
stop motion for my final major project. April 2021)
The lyrics I am creating art for is as
For the first lyric I am going to draw stick figure
follows, ‘cause even when she's next to
girls wearing dresses and stand them next to each
me we could not be more far apart’ and
other and then move them apart because the
the second lyric is ‘you would find her in a
lyric talks about feeling the distance between
polaroid picture’.
someone. And for the second lyric I will be using a
Re-photograph the lyric ‘Fall’ with the drawing of the outline of a polaroid and the lyric
leaves because the current stop motion of written around it
it in the music video was done on my Find the lyric I made in march for ‘fall’ and take
phone and does not look very good. It's photos of it again.
dark and shaky as I didn’t photograph
from the same exact place.
 Reflect and Evaluate

Today, I achieved this goal that I set for myself.

I think that I made this small goal very achievable and I didn’t try to stretch myself. I had a clear idea of how I wanted the illustrations to look and even though I am not
the best at drawing I think they look alright. I dedicated enough time to draw and write all the things that I needed and I didn’t feel like I needed to rush. I took time to
think of where in my house would be best to film. I also didn’t rush the photographs I thought about where I wanted all the pieces to be and I practiced before I took the
photos. I did each lyric a few times.

One thing I could have done better would be adding the photographs into my edit so that I know they work intime with the lyrics but I will be adding them to the edit on
another day. I still have plenty of time before the project hand-in.
Objective 2 – Be How will I Timescale: Key Actions: Support
Specific achieve this? Things I need to do. Required?

I would like to have all the footage for my

second music video (Rainbow) and a
rough cut of the edit.
Complete editing of first music video
(She)- add in the stop motion.
Two weeks
Revisit ideas, develop more. Plan my time well, (6th April
list all the shots that I need to get. Begin editing. 2021- 20th Film all the footage that I
need and begin editing in None required. Maybe the
April
Insert the stop motion photographs onto the premiere pro. adobe help page if I would
premiere pro timeline of ‘She’. like to learn something in
editing that I don’t already
know.
 Reflect and evaluate.

6th April- filmed the stop motion lyrics for the music video, which means all the footage is filmed for my first music video.
10th
Added the stop motion to the ‘she’ music video edit making it complete.
Rainbow music video
9th April-shot all footage I needed apart from two things.
Began editing on 10th April.
11th April- Filmed the last 2 clips.
Had most of the edit done on 14th April- just had to align the dates. In retrospect, I should have continued working on the edit as it was basically completed it just needed
final touches.

I think I worked well towards this goal and even managed to complete a large proportion of what I wanted to do days earlier than I originally planned which means I now
have more time to work on other university work. It also shows that I like to have things completed early. Even though I had a strict schedule for this music video I still
think I did it justice with regards to the quality. It shows that I am good at planning and problem solving, the problem being the fact I still had a music video to make, and
the deadline was quickly approaching.

Despite wanting to have the final edit done on the 20th of April I spent time working on other pieces of university work, so I didn’t finalise the edit until the 29th but that
was still early because the screening to show the class is scheduled for May 10th. Next time I will stick to my strict timescale as it means I have more time for reviewing
the edit and fixing mistakes.
Objective 3 – Be How will I Timescale: Key Actions: Support
Specific achieve this? Things I need to do. Required?
By completing all my projects on time and getting End of Complete all my work by From tutors if I
Finish my third year of university and gain
to the end of the last term May their individual hand in need to talk to
my BA degree.
2021 days. them about my
work.
 Reflect and evaluate.

Due to the ongoing Covid-19 crisis, the university decided to extend all our project deadlines by a week. This was helpful as it gave me more time to check through my
work and complete the last few pieces.
Completing this course will affect my future because my grade will help me to be able to find employment.
This specific project is the first one that is due so I can't reflect upon the other hand-ins for the rest of May, but I believe that I am on schedule to complete all the work on
time. If we go off my other hand-ins for previous university projects, I have never handed in late.
I think that I will get at least a 2:2 or maybe a 2:1 for my overall grade for this lens-based media course.
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