EVALUATION Q3: Development of Production Skills

EVALUATION Q3 - HOW DID YOUR PRODUCTION SKILLS DEVELOP THROUGHOUT THIS PROJECT?
In this post, I will be discussing how I have developed my production skills throughout the AS year. I will be talking about the practice exercises I did and the things I have learnt from doing these practice exercises. Also, I will be talking about the things I've learned to change for next year during the production process such as preparing shoots thoroughly and informing cast on details for shoots. 

Here in this video below (My YouTube show video), I have provided a summary of the content explained in this post:
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PRELIMINARY EXERCISE
Preliminary exercise: Continuity task involving filming and editing a character opening a door, crossing a room and sitting down in a chair opposite another character, with whom she/he then exchanges a couple of lines of dialogue. This task should demonstrate match on action, shot/reverse shot and the 180-degree rule.

We shot handheld in this exercise for speed. We had to get it filmed and edited as soon as possible.

After this exercise Richard and I learnt many skills from filming under pressure.
We filmed the whole exercise handheld. Also, we learned how to apply the 180 degree rule while filming, to use continuity editing when editing the final product and to film and edit shot reverse shots.
So, the three important, main things we learnt were:

• Applying the 180 degree rule
• Using continuity editing and filming shots that would allow us to apply this continuity editing in the editing process.
• Filming and editing in shot reverse shots.

This was a basic exercise that was trying to get us started with using technology such as the Sony A58 camera and using Final Cut Pro X for the first time and applying basic skills of editing.

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MICRODRAMA 

We had to use chairs instead of tripods because initially we didn't know how to use the tripod, but at the end of the filming for this exercise, we finally got the tripod to work and used it for the final shot that you see in the Microdrama.
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For this short micro drama our task was to use the narrative theories played down by Vladimir Propp, Levi-Strauss, Barthes and Todorov. 

Richard and I were under pressure for filming this. We filmed the entire thing in one evening. We had to come up with a narrative that was entirely existent around the theories: Levi-Strauss' Binary Opposition, Todorov's 5-Part Narrative and Barthes' Narrative Enigma theory. We also had to include Propp's 7 Character Archetypes theory, so we had many different characters.

After this exercise, Richard and I learned:

1. How to include different narrative theories in a short film. (Propp's 7 recurring character archetypes, Todorov's 5-part narrative theory, Barthes' narrative Enigma).

2. How to think under pressure, as producers would who have to make TV programs 3 times week e.g. Eastenders.

3. Enforcing continuity editing, 180 degree rule, match on action shots, shot reverse shots and just achieving general verisimilitude throughout the short film.

4. More editing skills such as adding transitions (ellipsis), using special effects, using coloured filters. We did make some other cuts that had special effects on, just to experiment with what other effects would look like.

TYRANNOSAUR SWEDE
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After this exercise, Richard and I learned:
We learned how to edit a lot better in terms of cutting to different shots in a non-linear way and using continuity editing also. Also, we learned about lighting, how it can be different in many different shot angles. I think that my filming skills improved by being able to use the tripod and camera together, making certain camera angles and filming shots with no shakiness or blurriness. I thought the second scene in the sixth form common room was edited very well compared to the other scenes. I did think the editing process took longer than that of the editing of the 'microdrama' but that's because I learned that, to make the quality better and to make the film look fluent and non-linear you have to spend more time working on the editing, but overall I enjoyed the editing process. 

FINAL FILM OPENING
Equipment used:

I used a variety of different technology throughout the filming process for my film opening:

• Sony A58 
• Amazon Tripod 
• Manfrotto tripod 
• GoPro
• Gimbal 
• GorillaPod
• 2TB Hardrive
• SD/MicroSD Cards

In this production, I learnt many different production skills such as:

• How to film with a GoPro, Gimbal, GorillaPod,
• How to organise cast.
• How to plan shoots (e.g. with call sheets, shot list).
• How to film in the most efficient way in a limited amount of time.
• How to make sure to get cast that will be reliable or to just ask very in advance if they can act in your film; but even still, you should make sure you have a replacement/substitute actor for them even if they say yes they can come.

PRODUCTION SCHEDULE UPDATES
I made many podcasts on production schedule updates to show my journey throughout the year. I thought making podcasts was one of the easiest ways to illustrate this journey because you could make a podcast every week discussing all the new things that have happened and what you plan to do next.
I had many problems throughout the filming process and in these podcasts I discussed these issues:
such as 
cast not being able to make it.
cast dropping out/not coming to shoots.
making new scene ideas because of these cast members not being able to make it.
switching casting roles around 

Also, during this year, on the 31st of January, all the media students in year 11, 12 and 13 and the actors for their productions went to Centre de Jeunesse Marienthal, rue de Keispelt, L-7411 Marienthal that has a greenscreen. We all had an opportunity to film with a proper green screen. So, another production skill I learned was how to film with a greenscreen background and how to edit the greenscreen footage to make the background be of something else other than the greenscreen.

ROUGH CUTS
I made 7 rough cuts that were all a bit different. I stated the difference between all these cuts on seperate blog posts (rough cut 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7). I listed through 1., 2., 3. etc... all the things I had changed since the last rough cut.

Rough Cut 1
Rough Cut 2
Rough Cut 4
Rough Cut 5 
Rough Cut 6
Final Rough Cut
Final Cut

AUDIENCE FEEDBACK
I only collected some audience feedback from rough cut 5 unfortunately. 

EVIDENCE OF DIRECTING
While filming the greenscreen abduction scene:
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Here I came in the shot to direct these actors on what to do for this greenscreen scene (the second scene in my film opening). I was telling these actors to applaud really happily and loudly when the director says "that's a wrap" as if everyone is celebrating that they have finally finished filming a scene.

While filming the rape chase scene:



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Here I was directing these actors on what to do for a certain shot of the rape chase scene. The actors asked me questions on what they should do and how they should wear their clothes. 

Over the course of the filming for this there were many issues that I have now learnt to overcome for next time:

Preparing for shoots:

• Plan every shoot in detail with a precise time schedule, the list of all equipment needed
• Bring more than one battery for the cameras (e.g. GoPro, Sony A58).
• Bring more than one SD card if you have more than one just in case your SD card storage gets filled up. If you don't have another one just make sure the SD card is cleared or has enough storage on it before filming. 
• Dont forget any equipment at home. 

Casting:

• Tell your cast exactly when you want them and what they need to bring, wear and look like. Give them a copy of the call sheet and write everything down for them that they need to know about the scene they are acting in and the costume needed for that scene.
• Prepare a substitute actor in case the actor you are relying on for the main role or any role can't make it or bails out on coming and acting for you. 

The entire year experience - what should be different for next year:

• Start the filming process and pitching process a LOT earlier than january (advice for myself for A2 Media Studies). 

FINAL CUT PRO X SKILLS

I used this software throughout the entire year. I thought it was very good and I liked using this software. I learned many skills on Final Cut Pro X such as: key framing, cutting videos, layering, making a greenscreen background turn into a different background, changing colour of things, using shortcuts for certain tools.

On the left you can see a list of different options that are on Final Cut Pro X. The letters on the right stand for the keyboard shortcuts that you can use instead of actually clicking on the tool itself. Out of this list of tools, I mainly used the blade tool and the select tool. So, for shortcuts, for the blade tool you can press the letter B on the keyboard and you are able to cut and blade anything you want.






I also used many different special effects on Final Cut Pro X. You can see here on the left the special effect called Cool Tones. This effect made the shots look cold, dark, creepy and gloomy. I used this effect on the shots in the green screen abduction scene with the electric noises, of Alex being tied up in the lair. I also used this effect on all the shots in the lair scene, to make the lair scene seem more scary and creepy by being in the dark.


This special effect on the right is called Crisp Contrast. This effect made all the shots very sharp, crisp and harsh. I thought this effect worked best on the shots in the green screen abduction scene with the electric noises, of Alex being tied up in the lair scene. 

I used this special effect for the first scene (rape chase scene). I decided to use this effect because I wanted the rape chase scene to be set back in time (3 years ago) and using black and white connotes that the setting is back in time. 




LINKS TO THE TECH TIPS VIDEOS:

Layering on FCPX
Cutting Videos on FCPX
Key Framing on FCPX
Uploading a Video to Youtube from FCPX
BLOGGER: Tagging
BLOGGER: Soundcloud Upload
BLOGGER: Adding A Link List
YOUTUBE: Adding Annotations

AUDIENCE FEEDBACK 2: Rough Cut 5

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What the people giving feedback said was that:
1. The first scene is somewhat confusing first time watching it.
2. That the sound throughout the film opening is achieving some verisimilitude but not a lot, because the continuity for the sound is not good.
3. The sound should be worked on. Stretch the sound out instead of having it loud in some places.
4. That the sound in the first scene is rather loud/too loud.
5. A reorder of some shots in the rape chase scene or taking some shots out of it.
5. That there should be an extra shot in the first scene of one of the rapist's hands grabbing the girl's shoulder to show that the rapists have caught up to her, also this gives more of a scare and emphasis on the rapists catching up with her.
7. Don't take away the sound away from the place where there is shots of Alex in the lair.

What was good:
1. I did a good job with more realistic breathing and gasping 
2. The title sequence at the end was very good with the sounds of blood being spilled, nice effects of titles.
3. I chose a better font for the second ident (you can see it more clearly with the red).

Target Audience
Everyone thought the target audience would be age 18-24 and this is not the target audience I had in mind, I had in mind age 15-24. The reason why I think it is a 15 and not an 18 is because you never actually see anything graphically disturbing, because the scene cuts away before you can see anything graphic happening. E.g at the end of the rape chase scene you don't actually see the girl get raped. Also, at the end of the film opening, you don't actually see Alex getting stabbed with blood coming out.

AUDIENCE FEEDBACK 1: Rough Cut 5

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The feedback my mum gave in this video was:
1. That she doesn't like Simon going through so many doors at the green screen place, she finds it unnecessary and boring. She asks "What does it add to have those shots of him travelling through the doors?"
2. She thinks the middle scene is unfinished. 
3. She doesn't understand the jump from the rape chase scene to the fake film scene. She thinks "Why are we in a studio?"
4. She doesn't get the little signifier that he is an alcoholic and regrets the rape- didn't connect or see that it was related to remorse or guilt from rape, she put it down to just teenage drinking. 
5. Thinks he should be more jumpy and scared, he's walking too confidently. 

The good things about it:
1. The scene cuts away just when the graphic details are about to be shown (the rape scene), that I cut to a title at the right moment.
2. The rape chase scene has more impact and effect with better, more realistic breathing. 
3. The lair scene came together very well, she really got the atmosphere. Also, the sounds and miss-en-scene is very scary.
4. The start and end scene are very powerful.
5. She likes how simon is jumpy when he hears the killer running behind him.
6. She thinks its nice/good to have a break between two violent, horrible action filled scenes (talking about the middle scene)
7. The whole thing is scary.

OVERALL
Much improved from the last cut.