Self Assessment (Connor)

Self Assessment of Preliminary

Does your film use continuity editing so that the sequence of events are clear and easily understood by the viewer?

- I attempted in the short film to use a variety of camera angles to show the most of each set. In the film there were only three locations so this was fairly easy to do and made for (hopefully) a good understanding of each room and scenario the characters were in and didn't cause any problems within the continuity.

Shown in the picture above is the first set the characters are seen in with a total of eight shots in that room to give a good sense of its surroundings. I.E: It's size, exit/entrance points and design within.

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Have you followed the directions in the brief? (A character opens a door, crosses a room and sits down in a chair opposite another character. An exchange of dialogue occurs.)

- In the film there is a character opening a door, shortly after this there are a couple exchanges of dialogue, but their isn't any sitting down like in the brief.

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  Have you used match-on-action?

- Match on action is used in the film, we tried to exercise this particulary with the opening of the door (The macguffin).

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 Can you explain what a match-on action involves?

- Match on action involves the editor using a cut between two different shots showing an action taking place, an action and a reaction, E.G: A person reaches out for a door handle, next shot; the door opens and the character(s) walk through.

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Have you used shot/reverse shot?

- Shot reverse shot is used a few times in the film, e.g: the repetition of returning to the shot of the door, and showing two different reaction shots of Kieran with a cut inbetween them.

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  Can you explain what shot/reverse shot involves?

- Shot reverse shot is using a shot twice with a cut inbetween them, usually used in dialogue. Character A speaks with the camera on them, then a shot of Character B, then it returns to the original shot of Character A.

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 Did you observe the 180-degree rule?

 The 180-Degree rule was not broken within the film.

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Can you explain the 180-degree rule?

- The 180-Degree rule is when the camera is focused on a set point to moved 180 degrees around it. For example, when two characters are talking at a table and you get a side angle of them, you shouldn't move around to the other side of the table, you don't do this as it can be jarring for the audience, it can confuse them by showing character movement where there has been none.

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What role did you play in the making of the preliminary task? (e.g. filming, acting, editing, equipment organisation etc.)

- I was director, writer, producer, on of the actors, one of the cinematographers, one of the editors, the storyboard artist, Set/Costume/Prop designer and the location scout.

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How would you assess your contribution to the group?

- I think I did rather well in the group regarding my jobs, But I think I could have played a bigger part in the editing (partiulary the music in the film, being very abrupt), maybe wrote a more engaging story and had maybe more moving shots, e.g: pans, tilts to show more diversity as a director.

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What have you learned from the process of making your preliminary film?

I learned how to direct fairly well and convey a simple story with iconography and performance. But I learned I need to develop in editing and the actual writing side of a film and making that work with the directing.