Preliminary Task - Reflection

Planning - 

• Initially, we did research on what we needed to make a successful short film. For example, we learnt about match-on-action, 180 degree rule and shot reverse shot. We also learnt how these techniques improve the fluidity of the film and make it look more professional.

• During the planning process we created a storyboard, prop list and script for our piece. This helped us to have a clear structure when filming and allowed our actors to know what they are saying and when. 

• When planning we also created a Film Treatment. A Film Treatment is a piece of prose used to help a producer sell his or her ideas for a film. We created a brief version so that we were able to get an understanding for how they work. This was beneficial as we will be able to transfer these skills to the main task.

Production -

• When going through the production process our filming went fairly smoothly. Our actors were prepared and fast to pick things up. This was good because it  meant that our filming was quick, giving us more time to edit and export. 

• However, we could not stick to our original filming date which put us back by a day. This was because on the originally scheduled day it was raining. We chose not to film on this day because the rain would have interfered with the quality of the camera shots and made the overall film look lower in quality.

• We also were unable to film all of the planned shots. This was because we had planned to film the car driving off and at the time of filming there were no adults around to help. This meant we had to add in other extra shots to make up the time. 

Technology - 

• During this process, the only new technology i encountered was Adobe Premiere Pro. We needed to learn how to use this software to edit our films.

• To learn how to use the software we watched clips in class and made notes on the different settings and how to use them

• Being able to use this software will be beneficial as we will need to use it for our main task is AS and A2. It will also be beneficial if I decided to go into the film industry as the software is of industry standard. 

Problem Solving - 

• During the process we struggled to set a date for filming which suited everyone. This was quickly overcome by setting a date a few weeks ahead so that we could make sure that we were all available. 

• We also struggled when editing our piece. We couldn't work out how to mute some sound and keep others. To solve this we typed it in to Google and followed the instructions given. We also had an issue where we had our music saved to a memory stick but forgot to transfer it onto the computer. This meant that when the memory stick was removed the sound didn't work. 

Team Work - 

• Our group worked well together and contributed evenly. We shared out roles and took it in turns to film and direct. This meant that we were prepared for the main task as we had practiced the skills we will need.

• I feel that I contributed well to this production as both an actor, director and producer. I helped with the planning by drawing out the story board, and creating a prop list. During the filming, whilst i was not acting my partner and I took it in turns to film the scenes. Finally during the editing process I applied my new knowledge of editing and trimmed clips to the correct length, added a title and end credits and added music to the piece.