I feel that my preliminary task went well and for the first time using the equipment, it was quite an accomplishment. I worked well within my group and we all worked together well to get the editing completed. Our filming was successful and we didn’t need to make any re takes which was beneficial. Our match on action shot worked effectively but was slightly difficult to edit as I did not want it to be misaligned. We frequently used over the should shots as this was the task for the preliminary (a conversation). The shots were over the shoulder however, the positioning seemed to change every time. By this I mean the focus point of the other person was not always at the centre as the camera would be pointing in a slightly off situation. I think this was due to the fact that we had never used the cameras before and we were simply experimenting and trying to get used to using them.
In my final piece, I feel that we used camera shots and angles much better. There is a shot in which the camera is placed in front of the character looking behind at two other characters. This over the shoulder shot looked very effective and also had the two characters in the background in the centre of the shot. This shows the level of improvement that was made between the constructions of the two pieces.
I have also learnt how to use final cut in more depth. In my preliminary task, final cut was completely new software and my skills were still developing. My strongest point on the software was the editing itself. The commands made it easier to cut the clips and then put them together into one long film. I was also able to import music and this is where I learnt how to make it fade in and out at specific points in the film. I thought that this was really successful and I was proud of my efforts and how it sounded in the end.
In my final piece I learnt how to change the speed and duration of clips. The beginning part of my piece didn’t look right as the blurred effect could not be noticed very well. With the slowing of the clip, I was able to make it look more like a person was recovering consciousness which overall made the clip look more effective and realistic.
Another technique that I was able to use was the use of special effects. My final piece includes a lot of fades and dissolves which weren’t used in my preliminary. The use of slugs in the final piece also meant that I could use time and separate footage so it doesn’t become one long, boring film. I learnt how to insert fades at the beginning and end of clips in order to make them flow better and not look jumpy.
My preliminary task did not need to use credits and this was something that I picked up in the progression of my final piece. I learnt how to incorporate them and then change the appearance of them (i.e. colour, size, and font). I was also able to change the positioning of the credits over the video itself, not just over a blank screen. I also learnt about the idea of leading lines and how they usually lead to what the audience needs to be looking at or where text can be placed to follow the scenery. I did this on a few titles; one in particular followed the direction of a wall.
Overall, I think that my progress has improved drastically since the production of my preliminary task. There was a lot more planning and thought that went in to the making of my final piece and I think this can be seen when comparing the two. I think my skills on final cut have improved since my preliminary and my editing looks sharper then what it did on my preliminary.
I think that the most important thing that I learnt in the entire process is that film production and editing is difficult and can take a long time to perfect. It can be a stressful process but in the end, the hassle is worth it.
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