Evaluation 7 - Looking back at your preliminary task (the continuity editing task), what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to full product?

On my preliminary task our group used simple shots like match on action and the 180 degree rule to record an opening of a door and a simple conversation between two people on the other side of the door. Throughout the editing as an individual, I learnt a lot and developed more skills of the software 'Adobe Premiere Pro'. The preliminary task was filmed by a standard definition camera which is the same as our horror film so we had an idea of what quality of footage we would be using. There were disadvantages and advantages to using 'Adobe' and a standard definition camera due to the fact that I am familiar with the software and not the Mac software. But on the other hand, the HD cameras produce much better quality of footage.
The quality of the footage didn't change very much as we used the same cameras as previous years in lesson but due to the preliminary task we learnt how to use effective shots in the right places. By using a standard definition camera and the adobe software we had a head start on the editing side as we knew how to the majority of the editing aspects.  Although due to our restrictions of editing transitions etc I believe I got the most of the programme without making the film less stereotypical and unprofessional.

 

The top image was from our preliminary task, we used simple shots which we thought were effective but we didn’t frame them very well. But at the end of the preliminary task we learnt how to frame shots better as you can see in the second picture we clearly got our character in shot with the prop easily visible and the setting clear. Also they are both quite simple shots but in the second picture we have added effects to emphasize the genre of the film which we learnt would make the footage more effective.

We also used the 180 degree rule that we learnt how to achieve in the preliminary task. We thought this was effective to use because without this then we would feel as if our film would not make sense. I also used some continuity editing such as match on action where I used three different shot angles of axe being struck. As a group we learnt how to accomplish this technique in the preliminary task to a good standard. Also I used no sound in my editing of the preliminary task, but in the horror film I had access to hundreds of different sounds effects or tracks courtesy of a copyright free website that I found. These made the aim of a horror genre more realistic as the sounds are what really put the image into the audiences head.

Finally, by doing both the preliminary task and the horror film itself I have taken on my basic skills that I already knew and used them effectively and in the right place in the preliminary task. Also in the horror film i learnt complex and important skills that come together to make a successful horror genre film. By taking all these into account at once we had to ensure our basics were perfect so it was worth while completing the preliminary task.