Media Studies 2009 – 2011

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?

The first lesson learnt would be to do with the group numbers. For the preliminary exercise we had a group of four and a lot of the time group members were stood around with minimal amounts of work to do. For the actual full product a group size of two was used, this made it easier to bring ideas fourth and made production a lot smoother and easier to cope with. However on a more personal note I think a group size of three would of been the right balance. The primarily thought for this is was because my film partner dropped out leaving me with not enough footage, no actors and not enough time to try another route or to salvage what footage was left.

For filming we had began to learn from our mistakes with different camera shots, our one mistake that we made in the preliminary exercise was the shot of our actor coming down the stairs, the camera is pointed straight into the sun and gives a lot of glare. The one thing we also did was to keep the shots varied keeping the piece of footage interesting. Another thing we had to constantly keep in thought, especially with the first opening shots was the 180 degree rule. We had first made this mistake in our preliminary exercise but had enough time to reshoot the bits that were incorrect.

For editing there was more learnt in the process to make the final footage more unique and dynamic. For our preliminary exercise the only editing challenge was marking up the pieces of footage together and getting the timing perfect to keep continuity tight. With the final product we used a few different effects such as playing around with lighting, freeze frames and adding text onto the piece for credits and the title.

What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

The most important piece of equipment used for the film opening was the camera and there was a lot of technical parts to it to become aware of and take into account whilst filming. Aspects such as white balance, sound management etc needed to be taken into account otherwise it can really make a film look unprofessional, damaging what is trying to be achieved. There were also parts needed for the camera such as the tripod and using the video tape, it’s much more than just simply picking up a camera, pointing into the desired location and pressing play.

The second crucial part was the editing process and learning how to use Adobe Premiere, it’s suprising how different editing software works, software such as Camtasia, Sony Vegas etc is all very different. The newest tool that needed practise with was cutting, stretching and rippling frames etc. The editing took a lot of time and patience to create something very simple as an opening using very minimal amounts of effects. It was suprising at how much of a lengthy process the editing actually was, from getting the continuity from shot to shot as close as possible to make the footage look as sleek as it could, it’s very easy to go wrong with the editing matching shots up, if it’s not done properly it can make the entier piece look very unproffessional.

The special effect that was used was a freeze fram, this involved taking the frame that was needed and extending it as a still, this was a recurring theme throughout the two minute opening as every frame involving the credits used a freeze frame which also helped focus on the main part of the action which would come from the dynamic moves the character was making.  

Websites such as Google and YouTube were also used for the creation of the film, mostly for inspiritation. Google was used to create ideas for the company logo by using the Google images section. YouTube was also done to view other films to gain ideas and inspiriation for our opening.

The final part to the project that was used was the Word Press blogs to write up about the work. Word Press was quite easy to master, as it simply envolved typing up, however it became complicated when things such as videos or pictures needed uploading.

How did you attract / address your audience?

Apature doesn’t allow the YouTube annotations to run on Word Press, to view the video simply copy and paste the link into the website browser.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYtjla_mvTs

Who would be the audience for your media product?

The style and genre the piece of film was learning and aiming toward was the sort of action thriller the Bourne trilogy was. Not only giving action from the violence and suspence of having to run and hide from the situations thrown at the character but more focusing on the situation in a dialogue way, giving off drama from the speech. However there wasn’t enough footage there in the piece, but it would of been included if the film had continued past the opening which focused on the suspence of the character running.

For this reason the genre would be aimed toward a higher audience, young adults starting from around the age of 17+, though the film is aimed toward the higher end age of the usual audience the certificate would only be a 12, this is due to no sex references or bad language used within the footage, keeping it clean for all audiences to watch. From the films action thriller genre focusing on minimal romance etc, the film is more based towards males, verses females.

The first thing about the typical person from the target audience that would give of a stereotypical value would be the persons clothing. Sport make products such as Nike and Addidas etc would be worn, labels which can be quite pricey but give off a sense of style. The music listened to the target audience would be very much modern and music that is popular in the charts at that moment in time. Other programs that the viewer may enjoy going with this genre would be programs such as Eleventh Hour or Heroes.

What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

Script

The film company logo is T&J productions, this standing for Thomas and James productions, both being joint partners in ownership for the company. T&J productions is a company that specialises in bringing new talent into the film industry such as acting, editing, filming etc. However the company doesn’t specalise in any particular genre of film.

T&J productions works closely with Mediator Films who distribute the created films to the cinemas about the United Kingdom and recently have been looking to getting them shipped into the US. Once a film created becomes sucessfull enough Mediator Films will look to getting the films onto DVD and into the shops. The main focus for Mediator films is aiming towards making and maximising as much profit as possible. The profits that are made come from the sales of the DVDs and so Mediator Films works hard into advertisement using various methods ranging from word of mouth to allowing the audience to download things such as trailers from iTunes onto new products such as the iPhone.

The credits used in the film opening are to bring awareness to the new talent helping them become recognised. This could help not only the actors but everybody else who worked on the film in climbing the ladder up, becoming more successful in the film industry.

How does your media product represent particular social groups?

The character that has similarities is the character Jason Bourne played by Matt Damon in the film The Bourne Supremacy. This is due to the several aspects such as apperance, costume, role, etc.

The apperance of the characters have been made to look like they could get their hands on any clothes to help emphasise the feeling of escape and being hunted. The clothes may still be different but they still give of a professional SAS feel, knowing the character isn’t just anybody being hunted.

The roles of the characters are very similar as both films are about escaping from being hunted down. There both set out in the roles of the films to be made to look like the victim. However our opening doesn’t go into the depth of the Bourne Identity as the story is made for the audience to follow along side the main character to discover who he is and why he’s being hunted.

The appearance of the characters are also similar in their physical apperance, though the main character that was used for our film wasn’t as old, but if we had the option we would of have used somebody older. The only difference being the hairstyle between the characters, though our character had a hat on, so it isn’t noticable.

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products? (i.e of film openings)

Frame 1 – The first frame is designed to throw the audience straight into the action. The shot is freeze framed for the credit which helps create an emphasis on the character escaping. The music starts straight away to help build the action thriller straight away, this helps the audience immediatly identity what the situation is and what is going on.

Frame 2 – This is the last shot within the diving roll sequence, it focuses more on the character being aware of his surroundings, the actor does this to help the audience become aware that he is being pursuited. By doing this it keeps the suspence built, the audience havn’t yet seen who is hunting down the main character which gives a unique twist.

Frame 3 – This frame is of the company logo, the logo is fairly simplistic, but it’s clear and does the job of identifying the company. The company logo has been purposly placed as the third part instead of the start to keep the suspence running, by taking the focus away from the film for a few seconds it helps keep suspence built by prolonging what might happen to the main character.

Frame 4 – Frame four goes back to focusing on the character constantly checking his surroundings for threat, the shot is then freeze framed before the character then trips up. This helps keep te audience aware that the threat of what the character is running from is quite large. Also, the wide shot gives off the impression that there is nobody there but the character keeps checking over his shoulder adding to the tension.

Frame 5 – This frame starts to focus on the characters skills in escaping, the freeze frame for the credit helps emphasis the jump the character is making. In doing this it allows the audience to start identifiying who the character could be such as from the SAS or a skilled criminal etc. Also the fence helps show the background field giving off the illusion that the character has been running far and none stop.

Frame 6 – The next freeze frame for the credit is focused on the characters facial expression. There is alot of doubt given by the character as he continues to make his way. It also gives an impression of the character being lost turning around to check his position. This allows the audience to know that something is soon going to happen to the character.

Frame 7 – After the PoV the character is running very fast to show his relentless attempt to escape from the threat of what is hunting him. This freeze frame for the next credit gives the emphasis that the character is about to crash right into the fence showing that he wont slow down for anything that stands in his way.

Frame 8 - This shot shows that the character has been caught, the shot doesn’t show the character who has caught him, in keeping the camera low and the main character at the other characters feet it shows a lot of power. This shot makes the main character look very weak and the character who has caught him look powerful. The character who has caught him doesn’t even move helping give the character more and more power over the main character. The freeze frame then emphasises the amount of power in the shot.

Frame 9 – The final frame shows the title of the opening. The title evicted helps the audience identify the story more and more. It tells that the character has been thrown out of somewhere and is no running for his life. The main title is kept very basic with the white text and black background to give the title a more SAS look.

Storyboard Shot Numbers: All
Day/Night: Day
Starting Time: 11:00AM
Synopsis: Escape
Assembly Location: Fields next to Morris’ house / School wall
Probable Wrap Time: 4:00pm

Cast/Personnel: James Morris / Thomas Miller
Extras: N/A
Stunts/SFX: James Morris
Risk Assessment Notes: Jumping off walls / Jumping over fences
Props: Plastic handgun
Wardrobe: Commando jacket / Commando gloves / Hunting trousers
Technical Responsibilities: Thomas Gallamore                         

The main risk for producing the film was our actor doing his own stunts. The first stunt that was done was him jumping over a fairly high brick wall and landing into a roll. We had to make sure the actor involved knew what he was doing and knew how to land safely. The next sunt which caused concern was the stile being jumped over, the gap to get through was quite small and if messed up could resort the actor being injured.

Pokemon – The Rise of Darkrai

The credits for the anime movie Pokemon – The Rise of Darkrai begin 10 minutes after the opening scene when Ash, Dawn and Brock are being given a tour of Alamos Town by Alice. The first opening credit begins when the musics intro finishes, that title is “In associatation with Pikachu Project”, this credit appears in the centre of the screen and lasts for several seconds and carries on into the next shot.

The first credits that are dedicated to specific people appear next. In this shot there are three different job titles being shown at once. The text takes up little space on the right hand side of the screen even though there are 6 names being shown. The credits are as followed:

Created by

• Satoshi Tajiri
• Junichi Masuda
• Ken Sugimori

Production Supervisor

• Tsunekazu Ishihara

Animation Supervisor

• Yoichi Kotaboe

In the next shot only one credit is shown in the bottom right hand corner, this is because in this shot there is a lot of movement going on with the characters. The credits also fade out in this shot as their tour guide Alice moves into shot and gestures them toward the candy floss. The credits are as followed:

Executive Producers

• Masakazu Kubo
• Kenjiro Ito

The credits then don’t appear for the next few shots as the focus is on the animation of Ash and Pikachu eating candy floss they have bought from the stall. The next credits appear in the bottom right hand corner when all 4 characters are in shot. The credits also fade out just before Ash eats Brocks candy floss so the audience’s focus is on the animation, not the credits. These credits are as followed:

Character Staging

• Kenji Matsushima
• Kouji Nishino
• Toshinobu Matsumiya

It takes longer for the next set of credits to appear as more animation follows, having eaten Brock’s candy floss Ash runs away laughing, not looking where he is going he soon runs into the Pokemon Torterra and meets it’s Pokemon trainer, the credit appears when the trainer waves at Ash. The credits this time appear in the bottom left corner, not the right, this is because Torterra is standing in the right hand corner.  These credits are as followed:

Written by

Hideki Sonoda

The next credits appear instantly in the next shot As Pikachu rushes in for an attack in a friendly Pokemon battle. Again these are at the bottom left corner and are placed on the path so they don’t get in the way of Pikachu. The credits continue into the next shot as Pikachu jumps into the sky and throws his attack upon Torterra. These credits are as followed:

Assistant Directors

• Masakatsu Iijima
• Yuji Asada
• Hiroaki Yoshikawa
• Naohito Takahashi
• Yoshimobu Tokumoto
• Yoshikazu Miyao

Torterra then unleashes an attack back upon Pikachu and the credits disappear for the animation, the credits then reappear when Pickachu starts running to make another attack at Torterra. The credits this time have swapped back to the bottom right hand corner but still out of the way of Pikachu. The credits are as followed:

Character Design

• Kazuaki Mouri
• Toshiya Yamada

Executive Animation Directors

• Kazuaki Mouri
• Kazumi Sato

The next credit appears instantly as the shot slows down as Pikachu hits Torterra with a tail whip attack. The credits appear on the left side of Pikachu and continue into the next shot of Piplup sizing up it’s evolved form Empoleon. These credits are as followed:

Art Checker

• Katsuyoshi Kanemura

Art Director

• Minoru Akiba

Colour Keys

• Miyuki Sato
• Noriyuki Yoshino

The shot then goes to a wide shot of both Empoleon and Piplup and the credits appear on the right side infront of Dawn. This shot is quite a long shot as emphasis is used on the animation so the credits stay on one single shot verses moving onto the next. The credits are as followed:

Director of Photography

• Takaya Mizutani

CGI Director

• Makoto Sato

Editor

• Toshio Henmi

The credits then disappear for the animation of Infernape and Croagunk are battling, there is too much happening in shot and so the credits are put into the next shot when Croagunk dodges an attack by backflipping into the air. The credits are placed in the sky at the bottom left corner to keep out of the way of Croagunk’s backflip. The credits are as followed:

Sound Director

• Masafumi Mima

Music

• Shinji Miyazaki

The credits then take a long break as the animation is focused upon Infernape and Croagunk battling against each other. The next shot is also a pan of a wide shot and focuses on the surroundings so no credits appear. The shot is then taken back to Piplup and Empoleon battling, again there is too much happening in the shots as each pokemon shows their special moves so no credits appear. The credit then appears on a wide shot of Empoleon taking a hit, the next is placed in the bottom left corner on the path, staying out of the way of the animation. The credits are as followed:

Animation Producers

• Toshiaki Okuno
• Shukichi Kanda

The next credits then appear on another wide shot, staying out of the way of Piplups attack, these credits are placed at the bottom right hand side on the path. Empoleon runs in from the left and so the credits have swapped over to the other side. The credits are as followed:

Producers

• Choji Yoshikawa
• Mikihiko Fukazawa
• Junya Okamoto
• Takemoto Mori

The next credit is placed in the middle of the screen as a wide shot of the Time-Space tower is shown and the camera pans up. The credit has been placed in the middle to show its importance and the Time-Space tower is an important key feature in the story. The credit fades out whilst the shot is still panning up. The credit is as followed:

Production

• Shogakukan Production Co.,LTD.

The final credit appears in the middle on the right hand side of a sky view of the Time-Space tower. This is the first credit that is has been done this way and so it shows the importance of the credit. The credits then fade as the wide shot begins to pan in and the shot turns into an establishing shot of the garden Ash, Brock, Dawn and Alice are in. The credit is as followed:

Directed by

• Kunihiko Yuyama

Saving Private Ryan

The opening credits begin before the opening scene is shown to the viewers, the credits fade in from a back background using a white colour for the font. The music playing in the background is very heroic which is symbolic to the soldiers who died during World War Two. The font of the credits is also very typical of that time period. This type of work used in the opening credits is also very typical of a horror genre, which helps relate back to the horror of war. The credits and music work well together to create a sorrowfull atmosphere, placing the audience in the emotions that are to be felt about the realism of war before the film has even begun.

Paramount Pictures and Dreamworks Pictures present

The credits then fade out and the next set of credits fade in, keeping their exact position. The cycle used for the credits is then rinsed and repeated throughout. The next credits are as followed:

An Amberlin Entertainment Production

Once this credit fades the music changes slightly as the sound of marching drums appears changing the sorrowfull atmosphere ever so slightly. The next credits are as followed:

In association with Mutual Film Company

As soon as this credit fades the drumming stops the atmosphere is taken back the sorrow as the original tune begins, their is a quick pause on the credits and music as it all changes back to it’s original state. The reason this has happend is due to the next credit being the main title of the film. This credit also has a green underline on the title representing the colour of the uniform the soldiers had. The credits are as followed:

Saving Private Ryan

Ocean’s Thirteen

The opening credits begin after the pun is played to the audience as the character Rusty gets a phone call from somebody whilst he’s breaking into a bank vault, he then tells the guys he has to leave and walks away. The first credits appear with white and red font representing casino colours which helps recognise the plot, also the music works well as the music playing is what the audience would expect to hear in places such as Las Vegas. The first credit is as followed:

Warner Bros. Pictures Presents

The credit then disappears in the same shot and the next credit appears whilst still being in the same shot. This time the font of the red and white has swapped sides but the credit still appears at the bottom of the screen on the right side. The credit is as followed:

In Association with Village Roadshow Pictures

The credit then disappears and the next credit appears whilst still in the same shot. The colours this time have swapped to different positions and are placed out of the way of where the character is walking to. The next credits are as followed:

A JW/Section Eight Production

When the title disappears the camera than pans around to show the shot of the character walking to his private jet. At this point the main title of the film appears under the plane. The next credit is as followed:

Ocean’s Thirteen

Troy

Before the film even begins the dramatic music starts on the company logos, instantly building suspence. The film then fades to black then the credits appear in Greek looking text, the dramatic music calms a little while the credits appear.

The very first shot is a map of Greece and Troy, this shot starts as blurry but then comes into focus. The shot then begins with text for the audience to read explaining the plot of the story. Once the shot finishes it then fades to black again.

The first shot is shown of an open sandy field surrounded by trees, the camera slowly starts to pan in. Whilst this is happening a soldiers voice begins to speak and begins to communicate with the audience asking them if all the bloodshed and battles lead them into rememberance in history long after they have gone.

The camera then shows both teams armies as they march closer and closer, the camera swaps back and forth repeatably, the dramatic music right from the start is still playing through, keeping the suspence built. Both kings from then ride to each other, wide shots are still being used to include their armies in the background to show each kings power. Once they dismount the dramatic music drops very quiet, the horses and footsteps have become louder and more noticeable then the music. The dialogue between each of the kings is very quick and to the point, they quickly decide to settle the matter between each of their best soldiers, making a deal if they lose.

The camera looks up at Bowagreas to show his power and strench as he approaches. Agamemnon then calls for his best fighter however, he isn’t there. A wide shot is held from the army for a lot longer to show both that he is not with the army and the kings embarrassment.

Scouts are quickly sent to look for Achilles and the next shot of the opening starts with a wideshot showing a village that the scout has arrived at, the is no shots before showing the scout travelling to Achilles so the pace hasn’t been lost and the suspence is still there, however the shots have become a lot longer at this point. Achillies power becomes from the dialogue of the scout who found him describing him and asking if it is true. Even though Achillies is riding on a horse the camera is still looking up to show power and looking down upon the scout to shot the difference.

When Achillies arrives the difference and hatred between him and his king are instantly shown from dialogue, the suspence music starts to build up again becoming louder and louder to show the fight is coming very soon. Mod shots are used to show both the armies in the background but also the facial expressions from each of the warlords fighting.

At this point Achillies begins to run towards his enemy and close ups are used of his opponent to show his strength and that he doesn’t fear him. A wide shot is then used to show the strength and accuracy as he throws his spear at Achillies. The camera quickly turns to Achillies and every slows down for a split second to enchance the impact of the spear as it his Achillies shield. Achillies then dodges another spear and begins to run faster and faster and at the same time the music volume becomes louder and louder showing that he’s going in for a kill.

The opening scene then closes with a midshot of Achillies walking up and down his rivals army shouting the words “Is there no one else?”

King Arthur

King Arthur begins in the same way a Troy, the music begins before the scene starts and text appears to explain to the audience the plot of the story about King Arthur. The music used is very heroic and tells the audience that they are to be thrown right into the action.

Again following with Troy a map appears showing Africa, Rome and Britian, everything that Rome controlled at that time. A voice over has been used explaining about Rome’s ruthless conquest for more power, more land and more soldiers to abide to Rome’s army. The shot from the map changes back and forth from the map to marching Rome soldiers, close ups are used of the flags and a lot of smoke effect is used when the shots appear. The voice over then begins to explain about the battle against the Sarmations, that they spared their best soldiers and how the Knights of the round table came to be. The scenes of battle are already being shown to the audience, however the focus of the camera is used on close ups of horses and the warriors, not of the battle.

The next shot shows a boy riding in fields upon fields of grass, wide shots are used heavily to show the freedom and the space, when close ups are used it is of the horse and not of the boy, this again shows the speed and distance the horse is able to travel since there is nothing stopping them. Within a matter of seconds the boy reaches his village, the weather changes a lot darker to rain and lots of wide shots are used to show the location. The Romans appear to collect the boy who is to be taken into service as one of the knights, lots of shots are used looking up at the Romans to show their power. The tone of the music then changes into a more sorrowfull tune as the boy is called away from his friends and family, at this point close ups are used to show the upset of the family as he goes into the distance.

The next shot begins with air shots of the wall built to keep the enemys of the North out, the voice over still continues as he explains that he is a knight and this was his location. The tone then picks up as the first shot as Arthur as a child is shown, close ups are used to show his facial expressions as he is happy at that current moment. Arthur is then shown his knights that he is to command, subliminal messages are used here as he is explained about his duties. close ups are still used as the action and drama comes from the dialogue and facial expressions.

The next shot fades in from the last and time is skipped forward ahead 15 years, heroic music as played as their ride into shot, the camera looking up at them to show their power and strength as for constantly fighting in battle for 15 years they are still alive. Midshots are used to show each of the knights and how they have changed over the course of 15 years. A lot of shots then begin to swap into the fields around them, acting as PoVs for what the Woads see through their own eyes. The music stops and the ambience is enchances, this builds up tension so the audience know what’s about to happen. The PoV shots change to the Roman soldiers, the audience have already now seen the enemys and suspence has been built right up, they know in a few seconds somebody will take the first shot. A rider is then shot with an arrow, a close up is used here so the audience can’t see where it came from. The music starts to pick up and the pace between shot to shot quickens, wide shots are still used on Arthur and his knights as they charge down. Once both sides engage the camera shots become less and less still and begin to move about showing the chaos of battle.

Again with Troy the shot slows right down for when Arthur gets his first killing blow upon a Woad. Shots constantly change from position to position of each of the Knights as they show off their combat skills with their chosen weapons, the camera most of the time focuses on looking up and them and close ups of their kill and the Woads crys as their fall iupon the knights blades.

The pace of victory as they defeat the Woads is short lived as their discover the Bishop they were trying to protect is dead. Meanwhile Arthur manages to get a Woad on his knees to question him, this the first time the audience come into contact with the Woad’s culture and who they are. Lots of close ups are used on the facial expressions and the pace slows right down, the music also changes back to a sorrowfull tone to help express the characters emotions. The final shot of the opening credits ends with an extreme close up of Arthur’s eyes as he walks out of shot.

This footage shows the preliminary exercise my group did. We made sure when filming that we followed the key elements required.

The key elements required for the preliminary exercise were:

• 30 second piece of footage.
• A character walking through a door.
• A character sitting down in the required room.
• A character pulls up a chair and sits oposite the other character.
• The characters exchange words.
• An item is exchanged between the characters.

The biggest problem facing us was time, it was suprising just how long filming such a short piece would take. Other problems we faced was from the storyboard, even though everything had been thought out it was hard to stick with it due to problems with angles or the fact that the shot would come out quite poor quality.

However the outcome of the film was quite pleasing, the key elements had been filmed and we had tried our hardest with keeping with the continuity and pace of the preliminary exercise. It was quite nice to see it all come together and using a wide variety of shots helps make the footage a little more intresting.

Though there are things that could be improved, overall the footage came out pretty smooth and semi decent and we didn’t go out aiming to hit every nail on the head and come back at the end of the days as professionals.

The 30 second sequence involving Mr Manix and Mr Marshall demonstrates the basic values of what is to be required from the preliminary exercise. Mistakes have purposly been placed into this piece of footage for our own benefit. This is so that we can identity and learn from mistakes that could happen and how we can avoid doing them.

The key elements required for the preliminary exercise were:

• 30 second piece of footage.
• A character walking through a door.
• A character sitting down in the required room.
• A character pulls up a chair and sits oposite the other character.
• The characters exchange words.
• An item is exchanged between the characters.

The three key rules required for the preliminary exercise were:

Match on action - The same action is copied in two shots to create continuity

Shot reverse shot – Conversation showing oposite shots for dialogue and reaction

180 degree rule – Used to show that characters are facing at each other.

The preliminary exercise created by Mr Manix and Mr Marshall demonstrates all of the above requirements. The footage is around 30 seconds and envloves Mr Manix walking through a door, picking up a chair and sitting down oposite Mr Marshall who is sat at a table. Once Mr Manix has sat down he exchanges a briefcase as the required item to exchange with Mr Marshall. Once the item is handed over the characters interact with dialogue and the footage ends on a resolution. Therefore the footage follows the key elements for the preliminary exercise.

Around half way through the footage Mr Manix moves into a room, the shot then changes to a close up as he picks up a chair and then goes back to the original shot showing him moving with the chair. This demonstrates a match on action. Secondly, at the end of the footage a shot reverse shot is used when the dialogue begins between the characters. However when the shot reverse shot was used it broke the 180 degree rule as the camera is behind the wrong side of Mr Manix. So overall it follows only two of the three key rules.

Though the preliminary exercise follows the key elements required the quality of the sound is very low due to the sound volume being turned to the highest. This makes the characters dialogue distorted and slightly difficult to understand. Another problem with the piece is the continuity of the piece, some of the shots make the footage very jumpy when the character is making his way through the door and towards the other character. Headroom is also an issue with some of the shots in the piece of footage and some shots could of been made a little bit tighter, when the character first sits down half of the shot is empty. However these are minor points to raise as the footage complies with the brief.

The preliminary exercise is a task dedicated to groups of four to produce a short video showing what they have learnt so far throughout the media course. This exercise takes a look into the filming and editing aspects to making a quality piece of film footage. The preliminary exercise is for the foundation portfolio which is worth around 60% of marks, so if tests cause problems this exercise is a great way to pick up marks.

The important aspects to this piece is the use of camera work, holding a camera steady and using the correct shots at the appropriate time. Quality is also a must and it is vital that aspects such as getting  sound sounding natural and crisp and lighting as natural as possible without making the footage look dark.

There are four different stages of production that are going to be used when creating the short footage.

1. Groups – Groups of four are used for this piece of coursework.

2. Ideas – The group of four will brainstorm how each shot out of the twelve be used and if any story is going to be inputted into their short film.

3. Storyboard – Once the idea has been shown, the different shots will be drawn in showing dialogue and movement in specific shots. Two pages of storyboarding will be used. Each page shows six shots equaling a maximum of twelve different shots to be used.

4. Dialogue – Once the object is handed over the characters acting in the short film must interact and communicate with each other.

The preliminary task involves and must include a character opening and walking through a door. Once this has occured the character must then cross the room and sit down in a chair facing opposite the other character. Once sat down the character will hand over or exchange the object and dialogue must be used at this point.

There are two types of camera actions that are to be used and also a single rule. The two types of the camera actions are match on action and shot reverse shot, these will be explained momentarily. The rule is used and will be emphasised when dialogue is spoken using a shot reverse shot and is called the 180 degree rule.

Match On Action – Match on action is repeating the same type of action in two shots. The type of action can be anything from placing an object down to running.

Shot Reverse Shot – Shot reverse shot is used commonly in sitcoms due to the comedy coming from dialogue. A shot reverse shot envolves the camera swapping back and forth on two people having a conversation to see what each person is saying and to also show the reactions to what is being said.

180 Degree Rule – This rule keeps the user from ruining their footage and confusing the audience. The rule means that the camera should not move out of 180 degrees of the character. This means that it will be clear that the characters are facing each other even if the other character isn’t in that specific shot. Going out of the 180 degree rule will cause both characters to face the same way when talking confusing the audience.

The toolbox contains common tools to edit the footage that’s been placed into the timeline. With a majority of software as you click onto a new tool the mouse pointer icon will change to the apperance of the tool selected. Many tools have a modifier key such as shift, using a a modifier key will change the way the tool behaves.

Selection Tool - The first and most basic tool is the selection tool. This tool is used for common tasks and is the default tool in Adobe Premiere. This button is selected from the toolbox or by pressing the key “v”. The shift key can be used to modify the selection tools behaviour. Pressing and holding the shift key will allow the user to select more than one object at a time. As well as selecting more than one object, specific items can be selected by using the key “alt”. This key will allow the user to select only the video or audio that has been imported.

Track Select Tool – The track select tool is used to select all clips that have been inputted into the timeline from a chosen point. Once the track select tool has been selected simply move the mouse to which specific clips you wish to use and click. If the whole entire footage is needed to be selected position the mouse at the begining of the timeline. Just like the selection tool more than one piece of footage can be selected by pressing the shift key.

Ripple Editing Tool – The ripple edit tool is used to move an edit point which causes the timeline to move equally to compensate. Once the ripple tool has been selected, position the mouse over which specific piece of footage that needs changing, then click and drag left or right to increase or decrease the length of the timeline.

Rolling Edit Tool – The rolling edit tool is used to move an edit point just like the ripple editing tool, however the timeline doesn’t alter verses with the ripple editing the timeline changed equally with the edit point which has been selected and moved. Once the rolling edit tool has been selected drag left or right the edit point just as the ripple editing tool.

Rate Stretch – The rate stetch tool is used to alter the the duration of a specific clip making it shorter or longer. When the duration has been altered on a clip the speed is changed equally to compinsate. If a clip is made shorter its speed will increase and vice versa. A rate stretch should be used carefully in the footage that is being editted with as sometimes it can improve the quality of the piece and other times it can ruin the quality.

Razor Tool – The razer tool is used to cut a specific piece of footage that has been placed into the timeline into two pieces. Once the tool has been selected, select the piece of clip you wish to cut into two pieces and simply click.

Slip Tool - The slip edit tool is used to adjust the in and out points of the clip simultaneously by an equal amount in the same given direction. However the duration of the clip does not alter after the slip edit tool has been used to a clip. To use the slip tool, select the tool from the tool panel. Once this has been done, position the mouse over the specific piece of clip that has been imported into the timeline, click and drag either left or right.

Slide Edit – The slide edit tool is used to move a clip that has been inported into the timeline to the left or right. Simultaneously, the other clips will adjust to compensate with the changes that have been made from the slide edit. The duration of the clip that has been changed will stay the same, the duration of the other clips are automatically increased or decreased depending on the situation. To use the slide edit tool, first select the slide edit tool from the toolbar. Once selected, select the specific clip that has been imported into the timeline, click and drag either left or right depending on the situation.

Hand Tool – The hand tool is used to ove the viewing area in the timeline to the left or to the right. To use the hand tool, first click select the hand tool from the toolbar. Once selected click and drag to the left or right depending on the situation.

Zoom Tool – The zoom tool is used to zoom in or out depending on the situation in the timeline viewing area. Zooming in on the timeline can help the user edit their footage more easily if media such as film, audio are effects are short or tight in the timeline. The zoom tool can also be used to select a rectanglar area to magnify.

Adobe premiere is divided up into many different panels to help keep your working enviroment simple and easy to work in.

Project Panel – The project panel holds the material you have recorded which can be music, video, images, titles etc. When you import items that are going to be used they will automatically appear io the project panel. The project panel also holds sequences which shows all the information stored into the timeline.

Monitor Panel – The monitor panel displays the footage that is being edited there are two different monitors. The left monitor is called the source monitor which allows priviews of each clip and make adjustements before they are added into the timeline. The screen on the right hand side displays the active timeline and is called the program monitor. In the top right corner of the monitor panel there is a menu which will allow you to access of a number of viewing options.

Timeline Panel - The timeline panel is where everything is placed into to create the video. The desired material is dragged from the project panel or source monitor and dropped into the timeline, this method is most commonly used in the different editing softwares on the market. The timeline allows you to manipulate your footage in several different ways such as changing the length of each clip, creating mulitple layers of audio and video and adding in the transitions, special effects and filters.

Info Panel - The info panel in Adobe shows detailed information about the currently selected material. The information is divided up into it’s type such as movie, length of the video or audio that has been added in, video size and FPS (frames per second), audio showing what bit and hertz, what specific time the audio or film comes into and finshes and finally the cursor.

History Panel - The history panel displays in a list the actions or tools you’ve used to manipulate and edit your footage. This will allow you to go back and correct a mistake that has been made without having to constantly press undo removing all the other processes that you actually need.

Audio Mixer - The audio mixer is used to edit the different levels of audio that have been added. The audio is made to be a visual representation of a real sound mixer. The mixer will allow you to change the level of each specific track, use different effects, pan tracks, create submixes, solo and mute each the individual tracks of audio, control the playback of the timeline and record the different audios added into a track.

Effects Panel - The effects panel allows you to customise and create a more intrested film by putting effects into the clips and transitions of both audio and film. The desired effect is dragged from the folder and placed into the timeline. The effects control is then used to modify each effect to it’s desired need.

Reference Monitor - Finally the reference monitor, this is used for advanced users to give percise information about each video clip that is being used. The reference monitor can be used to compare the different frames of each sequence in the film. However the reference monitor isn’t really used for editing footage.

Adobe Premiere is a computer software used to edit video and audio footage to create a desired film or music track. Adobe Premiere is very flexible and is great use for people just starting out using editing software and for professionals who have great experiance with editing material.

The software is used by importing the required video or audio from a source such as a disk or tape onto the hard drive of a computer, this is commonly used with all types of other software used to edit footage such as Windows Movie Maker or Camtasia. The software then allows you to manipulate the desired footage by changing different sections of the footage such as time or adding in effects. Once the film or audio has been created it can then be exported onto a specific medium such as a disk.

Adobe Premiere, with the amount of features that can be used to create quality pieces of work in film is a very good and popular choice for all different ranges of skill people have with editing. However Adobe is rarely used with the top level of TV and film productions. Premiere also has a sleek and clean finish to its interface allowing anybody to be able to use the software with ease.

Even though Adobe is a high quality piece of software used for editing it does have some have a few minor flaws, these all being about how advanced Adobe is. The first flaw is the built in title maker isn’t as advanced for a top end user, although it works fine for a majority of tiles. Secondly even though has good quality audio mixing and effects, for serious editing for top end users it is recommended to use specialistic software such as Adobe Audition or Soundbooth. The final flaw for the top end users is the range of transitions and special effects used are only average in terms of standards

Adobe Premiere is a mid priced piece of software. If cost is an issue for editers there are much cheaper pieces of software on the market such as Camtasia Studios. However on the reverse side if money isn’t an issue and you can really afford top end software for editing such as Sony Vegas. Adobe Premiere though fits the needs for any editor and so spending high amount of money for top end software really isn’t needed.

Editing is the process of taking the footage that has been recorded and manipulating it to create a quality piece. Editing is considered to be one part of the post production process.

The first thing to work on when editing is trimming bits of unwanted footage. Secondly, selecting the most quality pieces of film is done, loads more footage is recorded than needed to be so it’s important to select the best bits. The story should then be made so it flows smoothly prividing the story and information at its logical times. The next part is to make the picture stand out from just being a flow of different shots, effects, graphics and music are all added in here. The style and pace of the movie is altered then to create the correct mode and so the audience can feel the emotions each character does. Finally the angle is added in to give the story a viewpoint or impart a message. A lot of Japanese anime imparts a message in some shape or form to the viewer for them to take away.

There are several different ways to edit a video. Typically a lot of editors tend to go for a digital non – linear style for editing the work.

Film Splicing – Usually a film is edited by cutting different sections and moving them or even removing them to create the story. Film splicing involves the film footage to be lined up and held in place whilst it is cut.

Tape to Tape (Linear) – Before computers were used to edit film this method was used to edit video tapes. This method involves the video being selectively copied from one tape to another, requiring at least two video machines connected together. The first thing that happends is that the video that is going to be edited is placed onto the source machine and have a blank tape in the recorder. Then just press play on the source machine and record on the recorder. Tape to tape is a linear type of editing as it starts with the first shot and finishes with the last shot.

Digital / Computer – Digital / computer editing involves recording the video footage onto a computer hard drive then edited with software such as Sony Vegas or Camtasia. This method is a lot easier and flexible to use as it allows you to edit any point at any time, meaning you can work in a none linear way. However editing a film using this method can sometimes be complicated due to the amount of features the type of software can have.

Live editing – Live television shows will use this method and it involves using multiple cameras and other types of media are routed through a central mixing console and edited in real time.

Video Editing Terminology

Capture device – A device used to convert an anolgue video to a digital video.

Compressers and Codecs – Software or firmware used to create the file into a smaller size.

Editing – The process of manipulating the footage taken. Also used to create transitions between clips.

Encording – Converting digital video into a particular format.

Layering – Adding several layers of superimposed video.

Linear editing - Footage being copied from one tape to another in a specific order.

None linear editing - Using computer software to edit a film.

Transition - The way a shot changed into another.

Post production – Everything that happends to the film after all the footage has been recorded.

It’s critical to pay attention to the microphone to recieve a professional sound quality. The microphone is the most critical part of the audio chain. Sound quality can make or break a good piece of film.

When selecting a microphone it is important to decide what directional pattern fits your needs. Ensure that the microphones frequency is appropriatel. Flat responses are for most encounters the best to use, however a tailored responce will often out preform a flat response. Isolating the diaphragm by using such materials as a foam padding will keep unwanted background noise out.

The most critical part of microphone placing is getting the distance correct. It is important to get the microphone close but never too close that unwanted noise is picked up. Having a microphone too close can make sound unnatural and boomy. If more than one microphone is used at once phasing can become an issue. Phasing involves both microphones picking up the same sound causing a resulting interference.

As well as distance, positioning is another critical point into getting sound crisp. The microphone should always be facing the requiremented direction and repositioning should be done if necessary. Working in a safe enviroment should always be a primary concern and the microphone should be in a safe place that doesn’t have the risk of being knocked over, getting wet or wont blow over etc. Cables should always be out of the way so that nobody falls over. Unwanting noise can make a film look unprofessional and so it’s vital to keep it away. Stands, clamps, clothing clips and headsets are used to help with these issues.

Monitoring sound is done by visual display called audio metering. This helps maintain an audio signal and keep it performing at its optimum level and minimise degradation. VU meter (volume meter) and a PPM meter (peak program) are used to measure audio levels.

Extremely Wide Shot (EWS) – An extreme wide shot is done so far away so that the subject such as a building or a person is nearly gone. This shot helps show the surroundings of the subject.

Very Wide Shot (VWS) – A very wide shot is a little bit closer to the subject than an extremely wide shot. The main focus of a very wide shot is the surroundings. A very wide shot can also be used as an establishing shot to set the scene. Using a very wide shot allows more action to happen as much more can fit into the shot.

Wide Shot (WS) – A wide shot is where the subject fits in the full frame of the shot. The shot gets as close to the subject as close as it can without losing any of the top or bottom.

Mid Shot (MS) – A mid shot shows the subject as if you were in conversation in person with them. The part of the lower body isn’t needed so it isn’t shown. Mid shots are used commonly for when a person is speaking. This is why it is used in news programs. The mid shot also allows room for movement and hand movements.

Medium Close Up (MCU) – A medium close up is half way between a mid shot and a close up. The shot is used to show a persons face without getting too close.

Close Up (CU) – A close up shot goes into a lot of detail of a persons face. A close up is used to emphasise an expression and emotion being given of the subject.

Extreme Close Up (ECU) – An extreme close up goes into extreme detail of a persons face. If an extreme close up is used when something intence is about to happen. An extreme close up is mainly used on the eyes.

Cutaway Shot (CA) – This is where the shot will change to something that isn’t the main focus of the subject. A cutaway is used to buffer between shots to add intrest.

Cut-in Shot (CI) – A cut-in shot is close to a cutaway shot however but shows some part of the subject in detail. This can be used as an edit point or to show an emotion.

Two Shot (TS) – A two shot is a shot showing two people in a single shot. This is often used in interviews and also in sitcoms. A two shot is good for showing how each subject interacts to another. A two shot can also involve movement.

Over The Shoulder Shot (OSS) – An over the shoulder shot cuts the shot from behind the persons ear. The persons face uses up around 1/3 of the frame. This shot helps give the impression of the other persons view.

Noddy Shot (NS) – This shot is commonly used in interviews. This shot shows the subject listening and reacting to what is being said.

Point -of- View Shot (POV) – This shot shows the view from a persons perspective as if you were his / her eyes. These shots are edited so that it is clear of who’s perspective the shot is coming from.

Weather Shot  – The sky will take up 2/3 of the shot. This shot is done commonly on sports programs. A weather shot can also be used as an establishing shot for setting the mood.

Most cameras can do everything automatically. All that is required is to hit record and point the camera to what you want recording.  However using the manual functions can help improve the quality of the camera footage.

Zoom – This function allows the user to change how close or futher away the shot is. However zooming in too close can cause the picture to become unsteady.

Focus – Cameras have a focus ring that turned clockwise will focus on closer objects and anti-clockwise for a distance shot. Adjust the ring to create a sharper image.

Iris – The Iris is an adjustable opening which controls the amount of light getting in. The more this is open the more light can get in. Having a more open Iris is beneficial for when shooting in doors.

White Balance – White balance means colour balance. This function shows each colour should look like. To do a white balance, point the camera at non-reflective white in the same light as the subject, and frame it so that most or all of the picture is white. When exposure and focus are set press the white balance button.

Audio – The level at which your audio is recorded is important. Most cameras have an “auto-gain control”, which adjusts the audio level automatically. Ambient noise level should be consistent. This adds smoothness to the flow of the production. Background music while shooting can result in music that jumps every time the shot changes.

Effects - Many cameras come with a selection of  digital effects, such as digital still, mix and strobe. Most of the time it is more pratical to add the digital effects when editing the footage with software such as Sony Vegas and Adobe.

Planning a sequence is important to help save time and money. Without a plan the people filming will have nothing to follow and a film can end up becoming very messy.

The first thing to go through whilst planning is to focus on the target audience for the film and the purpose. A film can look completely different depending on the target audience. Location is also a major factor that goes into planning. A lot of shots can use an indoor location and a green screen for a lot of special effects.

Once these have been planned out a storyboard will be created showing each individual shot and the dialouge, sound effects and camera angles going into it. The people filming can use this as a clear guide as to what to record for the film.

(Being re-editted)

Planning a shoot is important to help save time and money. This is due to the fact that time isn’t spent wasted on deciding what needs to be shot on the day. If no plan is made to the day of the shoot a good idea for a film can become a poor quality piece of work.

Why and Who – The first thing that is decided for filming is what is the purpose of this video and who the target audience. Knowing the purpse of the film is key for what type of special equipment will be used. Knowing the target audience will help keep in tone with the film and its genre. A film can look very different depending on its purpose and target audience from landscapes to dialogue used, so it’s important to recognise which type of people this film is for.

Where and When? - The second stage is where and when. This stage is all to do about the location of the shots that have been put into the storyboard. Using location scouts is great way to prepare for filming. Each location should be evaluated both aesthetically and physically. Other things to take in when considering a specific location would be power avalibility for equipment, parking for the crew, access to location, food and water and also noise levels. Weather should finally be evaluted for how it will affect the location.