Tracking Shots and Framing

Tracking shots were used in both the preliminary task and the coursework film. In the preliminary task the tracking shot did not keep up with the actor, it was slightly jolty and we did not really think about framing in the shot. For the coursework film I had learnt from the preliminary task the importance of framing and the mise en scene included in the frame. When it came to considering what to include in the coursework film the framing was thought about more precisely and everything in the shot was there for a reason which helped to reflect the characters personality. By making the framing more precise it made tracking shots smoother as we knew exactly what we needed within the shot. Also, I had learnt how to use the equipment properly and this helped to make filming smoother and focused.

Point of View Shot

The point of view shots used in both our films were slightly different to each other as one contained a character and one included an object. Looking back on the preliminary task I feel that we angled the shot too low for the Masters eyes and it does not truly represent the character. I learnt that in order to represent the point of view effectively, the camera needed to be positioned in a way that it could actually be viewed as though it was someone else's eyes. In the coursework film we took this into consideration and actually matched the camera to the eye level of the actress we used. The use of the POV shot in the coursework film helps connect the audience to the character and lets them be in the characters shoes.

180 Rule

We used the 180 rule in both of our pieces and this helps to keep the audience orientated while watching the piece. It was more effective in our preliminary task as more than one character was involved which helped keep the audience orientated in the conversation. However, I understood how to use it more in our coursework film and kept it in mind at all times.

Titles
For the titles in our coursework film we spent time researching title orders and different ways to show them. We did this by looking at a variety of film openings and making Title Timelines for them. This helped me to understand the correct order of titles. Also, from this research I learnt that the font of the titles usually matches the genre of the film. With our preliminary task we used a title design which linked with our sci-fi genre and this received good feedback so, for our coursework film titles we have also used titles which reflect the theme of our chosen genre and reflect the findings which I learnt from viewing film openings.

Timeline Titles Titles

Research and Planning

We spent a lot of time completing detailed research and planning for our coursework film. We used techniques and the knowledge we had gained from creating our preliminary task to assist us in producing the best film we could. Also, by doing our media exam before completing our film made our films more effective. It has let us learn more about producing films and also about how mise-en-scene, sound, editing and camera angles are very important in creating a film. We also re-created film openings in a creative way which, helped us to consider what we could include in our film opening and how to not make it like a trailer. Another task we completed was creating an animatic storyboard and this let us see what our film could look like before we created it. Therefore, we were able to determine any problems which may occur before filming. When we created our storyboard we used post-it notes instead of card. We used this method because it allowed us to swap scenes and add/takeaway shots without damaging the rest of the storyboard. And when we produced our preliminary task, the storyboard started to get very messy and confusing when we wanted to change our shots, so we learnt to use a new method. By doing detailed research and planning It lead us to be very organised with ideas and gave us extra knowledge about creating a film and also, it helped us to create the best film possible.

Reflection of the two tasks

The Preliminary task was a very useful way to begin with media. By producing a preliminary film it let me gain an insight into what is actually involved in producing a film and prepared me for the final coursework film. I learnt how to use the equipment correctly and what different equipment is used to create different effects. It let me learn how to produce different types of shots i.e match on action, effectively and how it could be interpreted into our final coursework film. The preliminary task allowed me to become comfortable with the equipment in order to help gain the best results when filming our final coursework film. With this practice it helped the final coursework film to be very smooth and reflect a professional Hollywood film. Through the two tasks I have learnt what it takes to produce a film. I now feel confident that I would be able to produce more films as I have learnt what I would need to involve to create them. Most of all I have learnt that it takes more than just a camera and some actors to produce a film. It has showed me the length and detail of the research and planning which actually goes into a film before it is made, in order to make it effective and professional.