EDITING AND FILMING PRE-LIM

OUR PRELIM TASK:

1. 180 degree rule we must adhere to

2. Film everything a minimum of 3 times

3. Film everything first from a wide shot

4. Then an over the shoulder shot

5. Then a close up

6. Something must either be thrown at someone or a door opened (we did both)

FILMING:

Before we began to film we had to learn how to set up the tripod. This was very easy after we were shown a demonstration by our teacher. Next we had to bubble the camera and make sure it is balanced. To do this we had to loosen the cog at the bottom of the tripod and put the bubble in the middle of the circle, after that we tightened the cog. Next we placed the camera on the tripod and slid the battery in with the arrow pointing down, until we heard the click, meaning it was secure. Then we had to white balance the camera, normally we would do this by zooming into something white and clicking white balance button, but due to this being our first very real experience with the cameras we were instructed to click the automatic white balance button, then we were ready to begin filming.

Myself, Hannah, Danielle and Michelle all chose to film our sequence by the entrance doors to our school with the tripod which we set up. Hannah and myself acted whilst Danielle directed and made sure we stuck to the 180-degree rule and Michelle filmed using the tripod. In order to successfully present the conversation upheld between Hannah and I, we decided to film different shots:

1) Wide shot

2) Over the shoulder shot

3) Close up shots (in order to see facial expressions)

4) Low angle shot

Furthermore, in order to create the best sequence we could, we filmed each footage from the different angles so that when we go to edit our sequence we would be able to select the best footage recorded for out prelim film. However we didn't film each angle three times which we later learnt was a burden when we came to editing. 

Overall as a group I believe that we worked very well during filming. However during editing because it was the first time we had used this edit software it was a very stressful and strenuous experience for us. Furthermore we all had so many different ideas during editing, however we compromised and distressed in order to put together our prelim task. 

We didn't decide to improvise because we realised we had to knuckle down and begin filming because we only had a limited time to film. However, that being said it did take us a while to decide on the story which we went with. For example we began filming in one location and realised it wasn't right for this particular task, therefore we moved location. Therefore I believe that our time would of been better spent to improvise our story before starting to film as we could then develop our idea. 

We edited the sequence together to make sense by firstly cutting up all the footage we had recorded and then going through each cut up clip and deciding whether we liked that shot we took. Then we started to put all the clips that we liked together. I personally found the editing very hard master. I believe this was mainly because we didn't take enough shots during filming therefore we had less clips to work with. Furthermore the software is all very new to us and so we were still very unclear on how to use it. The software is called premiere pro. 

I learnt from the filming how to set up the tripod, which will come in good use when I film my thriller sequence. Furthermore I learnt about spacing whilst filming. For example you don't want to much space above someone. Whilst editing I learnt how to use the editing software and I learnt how to stick different clips together through transitions. Furthermore I learnt how to realistically implant sound effects into the sequence in order to add drama and tension to increase the pace of my sequence. 

If I could do this again, I would firstly record each shot more than once, maybe three times to get a precise shot and so that when I edit I will have a wider selection of clips that I could use. Furthermore due to having limited time to prepare and film, next time I would like to use a better location and possibly gather together some props and costumes in order to create a better Mise-en-scene for my sequence so that the story is easier to follow.