Evaluation
The hardware we used:
- Canon HDV camcorder which used a mini DV tape format - we used the record button to start and stop filming and the rewind button to view what we had shot
- Canon HDV camcorder which used a mini DV tape format - we used the record button to start and stop filming and the rewind button to view what we had shot
- An extendable tripod which made our shots steadier and allowed us to avoid the shaky, home video feel making our video seem more professional
- We opted for a shotgun mic rather than a boom mic simply because we were shooting in an enclosed space and there was no real need for the microphone to be up closer
- We used headphones so the sound technician could hear what was being recorded by the shotgun mic without hearing out - We also used a clapperboard to record each shot before we filmed any action so that we could separate each shot - this made it easier when it came to capturing for editing
- We used a PC based editing suite
The software we used included:
- We used Adobe Premier Pro - a PC based digital editing suite - to edit our sequences on the computer. The tools we mainly used were; the razor tool which allowed us to cut up each clip and delete the clips we didnt need such as those of the clapper board and mistakes made whilst filming we also used the drag icon to transport clips between the timeline and the over-view window and also to move clips up and down the timeline to fit our sequence together. Another tool we used was the title tool to add text the beginning and the end of our sequence and also the source and output monitors which allowed us to watch, pick and choose sections of footage we needed.
What factors did you have to take into account when planning, shooting and editing?
- We opted for a shotgun mic rather than a boom mic simply because we were shooting in an enclosed space and there was no real need for the microphone to be up closer
- We used headphones so the sound technician could hear what was being recorded by the shotgun mic without hearing out - We also used a clapperboard to record each shot before we filmed any action so that we could separate each shot - this made it easier when it came to capturing for editing
- We used a PC based editing suite
The software we used included:
- We used Adobe Premier Pro - a PC based digital editing suite - to edit our sequences on the computer. The tools we mainly used were; the razor tool which allowed us to cut up each clip and delete the clips we didnt need such as those of the clapper board and mistakes made whilst filming we also used the drag icon to transport clips between the timeline and the over-view window and also to move clips up and down the timeline to fit our sequence together. Another tool we used was the title tool to add text the beginning and the end of our sequence and also the source and output monitors which allowed us to watch, pick and choose sections of footage we needed.
What factors did you have to take into account when planning, shooting and editing?
When we were planning our sequence one of the most important factors we had to take into account was the fact that we only had four group members and on a professional shoot there are usually many more needed. To get around this problem we designated more than one role to some group members for example in some shot's Michael is the director and the camera operator as other group members were actors in the shot. We also had to consider the limited space we would have on location - we had to work out where would be the best place to shoot our scene, taking into account the lighting of the location - as this was uncontrollable for us - and also the background noise we could possibly hear from other groups around the location. We had to seriously consider continuity when planning and shooting our sequence to make sure we had no errors in our continuity. When it came to editing, time management was important as we were limited to how long we were allowed to edit for. Therefore, we had to make sure our sequence flowed well and made sense whilst also keeping an eye on the time it took us.
How succesfful was your sequence? Please identify what worked well, and with hindsight, what you would improve/do differently.
I think overall the shoot was not as successful as i had hoped as there were several errors and the finished sequence was not as seamless as i would have liked. However, there are definitely some positives that can be drawn from our sequence on top of the fact that i learnt alot about shooting a scene like this. For instance, i think we observes the continuity rules very well and none were broken by the time we had finished editing which is a great positive, we also included rules such as match-on-action and shot reverse shot which i was pleased with. I also think our sequence runs well and as seamlessly as possible which is definitely a positive thing. I think a shot that worked particularly well was the second shot the actor walks into the room, this works very well as an establishing shot for the sequence and reveals the setting. Also successful were the reaction shot's at 0:12 and 0:20 - i felt they were very effective as the camera captures good emotion of the characters' face and the shot is well framed. A shot which also reveals the space between characters' well and helps further establish the scene is between 0:16-0:17 - a shot which would in my opinion help the audience. Given the chance to re-shoot this sequence, i think i would find another location - one where there was more room to manouvere the camera and with less background noise - and also slow down the pace of the conversation between the actors to give more time for the audience to take in what is happening and to make the editing more seamless and effective. The framing of our whole sequence could be improved and i think this would have been easier to achieve with a different shoot location.
What have you learnt by completing this task? Looking ahead, how will this learning be significant when completing the rest of your foundation coursework, do you think?
By completing this preliminary task i have learnt several things which will help me in future and in the rest of my foundation coursework. Most importantly perhaps, i have learnt about continuity - this is vitally important, for example at one point in one of our takes we broke the 30 degree rule and I know that I will now never break the rule again. I also learnt a key lesson in working as a team - our group had a huge problem in that the camera man made an error, losing a lot of the scene's we thought we had shot. Personally i think i dealt with this situation quite poorly and let the stress get to me and in hindsight i can see that in situations like this it is best to keep calm and try to resolve the problem as a group instead of getting frustrated. I learnt that storyboarding is very important to get a clear idea of what the group is trying to shoot and also learnt the roles taken by crew members on a professional shoot such as; the director and director's assistant, camerman, lighting and sound techinichans etc. I was also taught the dialogue used by these members to communicate such as calling 'Camera rolling!' to signify that they are ready to shoot. I think all of these things will help me when i come to shoot my coursework sequence as they can all be put into practice as things that will benefit me and my group.
How succesfful was your sequence? Please identify what worked well, and with hindsight, what you would improve/do differently.
I think overall the shoot was not as successful as i had hoped as there were several errors and the finished sequence was not as seamless as i would have liked. However, there are definitely some positives that can be drawn from our sequence on top of the fact that i learnt alot about shooting a scene like this. For instance, i think we observes the continuity rules very well and none were broken by the time we had finished editing which is a great positive, we also included rules such as match-on-action and shot reverse shot which i was pleased with. I also think our sequence runs well and as seamlessly as possible which is definitely a positive thing. I think a shot that worked particularly well was the second shot the actor walks into the room, this works very well as an establishing shot for the sequence and reveals the setting. Also successful were the reaction shot's at 0:12 and 0:20 - i felt they were very effective as the camera captures good emotion of the characters' face and the shot is well framed. A shot which also reveals the space between characters' well and helps further establish the scene is between 0:16-0:17 - a shot which would in my opinion help the audience. Given the chance to re-shoot this sequence, i think i would find another location - one where there was more room to manouvere the camera and with less background noise - and also slow down the pace of the conversation between the actors to give more time for the audience to take in what is happening and to make the editing more seamless and effective. The framing of our whole sequence could be improved and i think this would have been easier to achieve with a different shoot location.
What have you learnt by completing this task? Looking ahead, how will this learning be significant when completing the rest of your foundation coursework, do you think?
By completing this preliminary task i have learnt several things which will help me in future and in the rest of my foundation coursework. Most importantly perhaps, i have learnt about continuity - this is vitally important, for example at one point in one of our takes we broke the 30 degree rule and I know that I will now never break the rule again. I also learnt a key lesson in working as a team - our group had a huge problem in that the camera man made an error, losing a lot of the scene's we thought we had shot. Personally i think i dealt with this situation quite poorly and let the stress get to me and in hindsight i can see that in situations like this it is best to keep calm and try to resolve the problem as a group instead of getting frustrated. I learnt that storyboarding is very important to get a clear idea of what the group is trying to shoot and also learnt the roles taken by crew members on a professional shoot such as; the director and director's assistant, camerman, lighting and sound techinichans etc. I was also taught the dialogue used by these members to communicate such as calling 'Camera rolling!' to signify that they are ready to shoot. I think all of these things will help me when i come to shoot my coursework sequence as they can all be put into practice as things that will benefit me and my group.
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