Preliminary Task Analysis

Preliminary Task Analysis

For our preliminary task we had an idea of a western style opening. Our preliminary task shows three people and their preparation before meeting for a final fight.  I felt our shot types varied and were used effectively throughout the preliminary task.  We used shot types such as close ups, mid shots, tracking shots and long shots. I also felt we stuck to the 180 degree rule and we had an effective use of continuity editing. I also felt that we had a good use of transitions that worked well with the video and was used at an appropriate time during the video. I also believe the soundtrack works well with the images and further added to the genre of the preliminary task.

I felt the reason why the preliminary task went well was because of the extensive planning and the inspiration we took from other preliminary tasks and opening tasks. We planned this task carefully and made sure we had a checklist of camera shots that we were going to use that would make our preliminary task successful. Before filming, we also gathered inspiration from other preliminary tasks that were of a high standard and made sure we emulated some of the techniques they used that made their preliminary task successful and of a high standard.  This research and planning made making our preliminary task easier and made thinking of our own ideas easier.

One aspect of the shoot that I found trick was keeping the camera steady when filming a tracking shot.  This was extremely difficult because we didn’t know how to use the tripod properly, this meant that during the shoot we had to do the tracking shot by hand which gave the shot a shaking look to it which could be seen clearly in the video.  To avoid his problem in the future I will make sure I familiarise myself with the equipment I’m using , however I believe that we could have overcome this problem by practising the shooting of the preliminary task before shooting the final video.

From doing the preliminary task I have gained valuable knowable experience on camera work and editing. The filming aspect of the task has helped me gain experience in filming in different angle and shot types. From the editing aspect I have been able to edit on a basic level through the use of sound and transitions. These skills will prove to be valuable when filming the thriller opening. I also now know the importance of the mise en scene and how it affects the overall production and how the viewer interprets the video. 

As a result of this next time I will make sure that I carefully consider the affect of the mise en scene. I will also make sure I use more shot reverse shots for a more creative production. This will be achieved by familiarising myself with a wider range of shot types and how they can be achieved through the use of the equipment. 

In this screen shot it shows the composition in the mid shot.  The screen shot shows the use of rule of thirds. The screen shot shows the rule of thirds being used; this is shown because the person is the focus of the shot.  The use of the rule of thirds coupled with the mid shot was effective because we were able to show the tension in the characters face. This was important because the genre of the preliminary task was a thriller and one of the conventions of a thriller movie is tension which is shown in this screen shot. 

This screen shot shows the use of a long shot. We have chosen to use a long shot because it shows the mise en scene of the shot. This includes the background, lighting and the clothes the characters are wearing.  This is key because it highlights the main features of the shot that show the genre of the movie. In this screen shot the darker lighting may suggest the theme of the shot, which links with the thriller genre, because one of the conventions of the thriller genre is darker lighting.  

These screen shots show a graphic match. This was used because it showed our varied camera shots and showed we were able to use the graphic match to a good standard making a creative production task.  The screen shot also shows the use of the golden mean. The golden mean shows the focus of the shot in both screen shots. In this case it shows the graphic match well. 

This screen shot shows a tightly framed mid shot. The shot also follows the rule of thirds. We did this because it focuses on the character and their facial expression. This is important because it shows the focus and tension in the character. This is also important because it further shows another convention of thriller movies which is tension.