Preliminary Evaluation

Who did you work with and how did you manage the task between you?
For the preliminary I worked with Raef Commissar and Jeng Au. In the sequence both myself and Raef were acting, and so the shots that we were both in were filmed by Jeng. I then filmed Raefs' individual shots and he did the same for me.
raef nico jeng group scan1
raef nico jeng scan2

How did you plan your sequence? What processes did you use? What theories did you try and take into account?
We first thought of the plot we wanted our sequence to follow, and knowing we had to incorporate match on action, shot/reverse shot/and the 180-degree rule into the sequence, made a shot list, a storyboard and a script. We tried to make sure that our sequence would achieved continuity so each shot followed chronologically.

What technology did you use to complete the task, and how did you use it?
To complete the task we used a canon legria HV40 with a tripod so we could adjust the framing and positioning of our shots and a boom microphone to capture our sound. In post production we used Adobe premiere pro CS3 to capture our footage and then edit our sequences using the razor and select tools.

What factors did you have to take into account when planning, shooting and editing?
When planning our sequence we had to take into account that we had to keep our sequence simple in order to achieve continuity. We had an hour to film all of our shots and so we needed to plan when we could use certain areas of the department for filming before production so that we could use our time effectively. While shooting our sequence we also made sure we made pre-roll and roll-on time so that it was easier to capture our footage when we edited.

How successful was your sequence? Please identify what worked well, and with hindsight, what would you improve/do differently?
I believe that our sequence was successful to the extent that it did achieve continuity and was easy to follow the plot outline. I believe that we worked together as a team by continuously co-operating between one another, which then helped us film the entire sequence within the time we had.  Our dialogue shots followed the 180-degree rule, we included a match on action shot with the fist hitting the table and the sliding of the photo, and also a shot/reverse shot with the character entering the room.  However, next time I would allow more time toproduce the  sequence to ensure we are not as rushed when filming.  I also believe that our lighting was quite dull and dark, and next time I would try to improve this by making it brighter and stronger, whilst still achieving the dark contrasting lighting in order for the sequence to have a sense of mystery.

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

From the task, I have learnt the importance of thorough planning to ensure that our production ran smoothly and everybody knew what and how things were meant to be done.  This understanding that good planning leads to an easier production will definately help us for our first project and we'll ensure that we plan every detail as much as possible.  I have learnt that the rules of continuity are essential to produce a flawless and engaging sequence, and for our upcoming project we will take shots such as match on action into account if we are to create a continuity sequence.