Evaluation Task 7: Comparing Preliminary and Coursework Produtions

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


I have learnt much from filming my preliminary task which I have then applied to my film opening for my AS Coursework.

In my preliminary I learnt how to apply techniques such as shot reverse shot and how it improves conversation between two people in the scene making it look more natural.

The Tester: Door match on action shot 1

The Tester: Door match on action shot 2

Preliminary match on action - Shot 1

Preliminary match on action - Shot 2

Secondly, we used more match on action shots than in my preliminary production, and not on just one with an opening door, we also used it when the gun is retrieved from the bathroom cabinet. 

The Tester: Cabinet match on action - Shot 1 

The Tester: Cabinet match on action - Shot 2

Shot Reverse Shot 1

Shot Reverse Shot 3

Shot Reverse Shot 2

 Thirdly, and finally, we observed the 180 degree rule, where we stayed on one side of the 360 degrees, before switching over to the other so the characters are in reverse, hence creating variety in the opening, and not revisiting shots too often. This is shown in these screen shots, Preliminary is below, and above the shot reverse shots also demonstrate the 180 degree rule.

Diagram showing the 180 degree rule. In the two examples above, you can see in each we filmed in the right half, observing the 180 degree rule.

One of the many things I did in my AS coursework which was lacking in my preliminary production was more shots and more variety. Close ups and extreme close ups, an establishing long shot, and a point of view shot are just some of the shots we used in our opening that improved the variety and made it more interesting to watch overall.

In addition, we paid attention to much finer details, the lighting and sound particularly, evident mostly in the ‘interrogation scene’ where we used chiaroscuro lighting to get across the dark mood in the scene. Appropriate music was also used to build tension, and to punctuate the feeling of the scene. Editing was also done much more in depth, with J and L cuts, and fade ins and outs on the soundtrack and scenes themselves.

Preliminary Production from Max Lake on Vimeo.

  

The Tester (Evaluation Edit) from Max Lake on Vimeo.