Evaluation Question 7 by Jamie Sykes

Evaluation Question 7 - Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

The preliminary exercise was an initial test to ensure we could meet the basic skills needed to be a filmmaker. Since the preliminary exercise, we have developed the techniques we use when filming scenes. We have diversified the types of shots we use in filming and attempt a multitude of more advanced techniques.

Our brief for the preliminary exercise was a continuity task where a character would open a door (match on action), walk across the room, sit opposite another character, and have a short conversation (shot-reverse-shot) all while the camera maintains the 180-degree rule.

As you can see from the photos below we met all the criteria and passed the preliminary exercise:

Having passed the preliminary exercise, we began work on our coursework project; to create a two-minute film opening sequence including the opening titles. The main take-away from the preliminary exercise was the importance of continuity in films and we ensured it was maintained throughout our two-minute opening sequence. The preliminary was also important as it taught us how to operate the technology we would have to use to create our opening sequence.

I would say, comparing the two side by side, we have vastly improved the quality of our work. We did not stay within parameters and instead experimented with different shots, such as the use of handheld shots and first person shots in our film. We have also learnt new editing techniques that create smooth and dynamic transitions between shots instead of the simple cuts used in the preliminary task: