Pre-Lim Evaluation

1) Who did you work with and how did you manage the task between you?

I worked with Natasha and Anna. Together we all came up with the idea and worked together to produce the storyboard, the shot list, the script and the shoot schedule. Natasha and I acted while Anna directed and framed the majority of the shots however when we wern't in shots me and Natasha also framed shots and directed them.

2) How did you plan your sequence? What processes did you use? What theories did you try to take into account?

To plan our sequence we first discussed our ideas and wrote up a script then drew a storyboard to fit with it, bearing in mind how we could effectively use different set-ups to film the whole conversation and get several shots while saving time. We then had a run through and with new shot ideas we edited the script and storyboard, then drew up a shoot scehdule (not neccasarily in shot order, but the order that made logical sense depending on camera position.) We used continuity theories to plan our shots for example we included a match on action shot, the 180 degree rule and shot-reverse-shots.

Anna Francis Natasha Shot List
Anna Francis Natasha Script

3) What technology did you use to complete the task, and how did you use it?

We used the Canon Legria HV40 with a tripod and a  Shotgun Microphone to shoot our sequences and Adobe Premier Pro to edit our sequences.

Canon Legria HV40: On the camera we used the viewing window to watch what we were shooting and used both shoot mode and playback mode to shoot the shots and then to watch certain shots back to see if they worked. We also used features such as the spirit level to make sure the camera was even.

Tripod: We used this to make sure the camera was at the right level to get the right shot without having to be handheld and therefore shaky. We also loosened the pan lever to make sure the camera panned smoothly . We used the horseshoe screw to make sure the camera was firmly attached.

Shotgun Microphone: This was attatched to our camera however we didn't have much control over this as our headphones didn't work. This is why the sound was a bit inconsistent and in future I would maybey use a boom mic to make sure the sound was consistent and definately use headphones.
Adobe Premier Pro CS3: In CS3 I used the razor tool to cut clips down, the zoom bar to get better accuarcy and the lock key to move audio without moving video.

4) What factors did you have to take into account when planning, shooting and editing?
When planning we had to take into account availability of locations we wanted to use such as the hallway at the very start. We also had to make sure all our planned shots would be possible in the space we had and so we had a quick run-through of our planned scene before making changes and finalising the storyboard, shot list and script. We also had to plan how many set-ups we would need and what shots we could film together to maximise time efficency. When shooting we had to consider the level of the camera, make sure the camerawas flat and had to make sure that the shots made sense by not breaking the 30 degree rule or 180 degree rule. We also had to run through each shot again to practice our camera movements and make sure they were smooth. We also had a few problems with the master shot when we realised we couldn't get the whole room in shit but we eventually found an angle where we could get most of in. During editing we had to makes sure all the shots flowed together and moved at a constant pace. This meant using the cut tool and the zoom bar to make sure we were cutting the shots and beggining them at exactly the right time. When editing I realised during shooting we had missed the fact that the computer was on in some of the shots when in others it was on. I had to edit around this to make sure the computer wasn't on in any of my shots. As well as this I realised we had forgot to capture some footage I wanted to use so capturing all the correct footage was an important factor.

5) How successful was your sequence? What worked well,and with hindsight, what would you improve/do differently?

I personally think our sequence was very succesful. I was particularly pleased with the fact that our sequence achieved continuity. I think the match on action shot of Natasha picking up the pen worked very well, as well as shooting many different set-ups so we were able to cut from one to the other easily and effectively. If we did it again I would make sure to be more careful about shouting "Cut" to early or ruining good shots by not checking everything was how it was in the last shot. The audio was also not perfect as in some scenes when the camera was closer the volume got louder. In our real shoot I would make sure we wore headphones however on the day our headphones wern't working with our headphones. We could also use a boom mic to achieve better sound consistency.

6) What have you learnt from completing this task? Looking ahead, how will this learning be significant when completing the rest of your foundation coursework?

I have learnt how important it is to plan and make sure you know what you are doing before you start shooting. I also learnt how important it is to have a recee and a run through in the location to make sure everything will work. On the shoot, I have learnt how important it is to make sure all the shots will go together and have narrative flow by making sure there are no big jumps and that one shot leads to the next. I've also learnt to make sure you get every shot in every angle possible for maximum options in the edit room and to check everything is the same for each shot.