Preliminary task

In todays lesson we were introduced to our preliminary task.

We started todays lesson looking at identifying a range of camera shots within the criteria, things like 180 degree rule, match on action and shot reverse shot. We watched three exemplar clips to strengthen our knowledge and know what to include for our task. Then as a class we were discussing the shots, how and where they would be the most effective, how to use them to create effect, and what effect it will create on the audience. We then began to create a narrative for our video. Me and Lyle chose to do a drug deal, the reason we chose this is because it will have a limited amount of speech, but it will really build suspense because throughout the clip until the very end do you see the protagonists face, which builds suspense as it creates a sense of mystery, as the audience will be asking them selves, ' who is this character', 'wheres is he going'. 

180 degree rule.

Two characters in the scene maintain a 

identical left right relationship with one another.

This is typically used in a conversation.

The camera flips over the invisible axis

which joins the two characters.

Match on Action Shots.

Match on action is a editing technique in which

one shot cuts to another shot portraying the action

of the subject in the first shot.

An example could be two people exchanging

an object, then having a two shot of the people

exchanging it.

Shot reverse shot.

Shot reverse shot is an editing technique

where one character is looking at another character,

and then switching back to the first character.

An example of this is during a conversation, it is

used to show peoples emotions in the conversation,

like facial expressions etc. It is also used a lot 

in confrontation scenes as it is very effective

in showing facial expressions and emotions.

It is very well complimented by over the shoulder

shot which makes the audience feel like they apart

in the film.

Lesson 2 

In todays lesson we made finishing touches for our planning making sure that it was all finished and how we wanted it before we proceeded to filming, we done this to make sure we included everything we wanted to be in the actual filming. Additionally it was to make sure me and Lyle (Vinny) knew very well what we had to do so we didn't end up wasting time looking back at what we had to do.

When we finished, the first thing we struggled with was actually finding a good location to film, we needed to find a room which would have dark lighting which would create the atmosphere we want to establish. Finally when we did find a room the only problem we encountered with the room was that there were pictures and things which didn't fit in with our narrative, however we just cropped it out of the shot. Another problem was making sure the corridor was empty when we filmed to, because usually there would be people all around the school doing various things. Finally the ambient sounds of the school was destroying the atmosphere we wanted to create, because there was teachers talking and kids playing football, but we decided to lower the actual sounds and put a soundtrack over it, which helped strengthen our piece and helping us achieve the atmosphere we wanted to create.

Once we finally took all of our shots we was able to start editing our film, which i believe we was very successful in, the only problem we came across was that it was longer than it should've been, but we just cut down a lot of the unneeded parts, we done very well in editing the lighting to make it have less colour and make it darker, to help it create and build more suspense. However we did have a couple of shots which were missing, so we went back and did it then we finished and was happy with the outcome. 

Lesson 3 

This shot is where we see the protagonists meet for the first time and it is also where we see the first shot reverse shot, 180 degree rule and the match on action shot.

This shot here is to show another exchange between the two characters, and it also shows match on action, shot reverse shot and the 180 degree rule.

Lesson 4 

This and the photo below shows are
story board, which shows how we wanted
everything to be and this is what
when we got stuck we referred too.

Lesson 5

The Exchange

Character profiles

Character 1: Agron Ismahil

Height: 5"9

Ethnicity: Turkish/albanian

Age: 27

Job: Delivering unmarked packages

Hobbies: Shooting, Football, Boxing

Characteristics: Hunched figure, straight and plain facial expressions, dark features

olive skin.

Character 2: Vinny Capone

Height: 5''9

Ethnicity: Italian

Age: 34

Job: Businessman self employed

Hobbies: Counting money, being at work

Characteristics: Pale skin, brown hair, blue eyes, fat.

Evaluation of preliminary task

In the preliminary task we had to include 3 shots which were apart of our criteria, the shots were, shot reverse shot, 180 degree rule and match on action. Match on action and 180 degree rule were both new shots to me, and in order to do it we needed to edit the shots on the computer.

Me and my partner believed that our strongest area was editing our film, this is because we had previously just finished our GCSE media pieces in which we both edited our films, it was easy to put the shots in making them fit and flow well, we knew where to put which shot etc. additionally we knew how to change the lighting in the scene, the reason we did this was to create a darker atmosphere which builds more suspense, this was also done because we believed it would fit in more with the narrative of our film as it helped create the atmosphere we wanted. We also added in a good soundtrack also fitting in well with our film as that too also helped build suspense. The only difficulty we had with editing was shortening and cutting out some needed parts, other than that it was by far our strongest area.

One of the main things we need to work on is finding a suitable place to film. when we finally grabbed the camera and proceeded to film, we couldn't find anywhere which was suitable because due to circumstances, there were lessons going on, people in corridors etc, so we were very limited to the places we could start filming. Additionally when we did find places to film, the ambient sounds of the school made it lose its effect, how ever we tackled this problem with our editing skills. Then when we needed to re-film one of our shots due too circumstanced we couldn't film in that room, so what we did was use another room, but on top of the old shot we used them both to show two exchanged happening over time which also helped strengthen the narrative showing their is a relationship between the two characters.

The brief of the task we got given was: 'Continuity task involving filming and editing a character opening a door, crossing a room and sitting down in a chair opposite another character, which whom she\he then exchanged a couple lines of dialogue. This task should demonstrate match on action, shot reverse shot and the 180-degree rule'

I strongly believe that we had met the brief, we done it through filming and editing. Match on action was when the camera showed us exchanging the package, the shot reverse shot was demonstrated when we was talking with one another and the 180 degree rule was shown when we sat opposite each other.

The Exchange from endi kola on Vimeo.