EVALUATION activity 7 - Charlotte Woodward

Looking back at your preliminary task (the continuity editing task), what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to full product?
The following images are to illustrate what I have learnt from my first filming experience with the preliminary task, and my coursework, Number Withheld. 

This screen grab is from my Preliminary Task. The left scene is Dasha talking to Janice, performing the 180 degree rule with the cameras. The right scene is Janice replying to Dasha, but notice how the two cameras we had used are set on different modes. We were not experienced enough to notice before we published the film clip, that both cameras needed to be on the same mode. I have learnt now, that when filming, both cameras you use need to be on the same settings mode otherwise you'll end up with a shot like this. 

Again, this is another scene from my preliminary task. On the left, Dasha is going to meet Janice, so she goes to open the door. On the right, this is filmed from the other camera, Dasha coming into the room. Although this is fine, I have learnt since that we could have produced a better match-on-action take, e.g. Dasha's hand could have been on the door handle - that we could have filmed.

This scene is from my coursework. The left is the establishing shot of the phone. Notice Grainne's hand is on the phone, then the next scene is her with the phone to her ear. Also, the camera angle - they are both close up which is something i've learnt, whereas my preliminary task was basic filming. 

Another match-on-action scene in my coursework. On the left, Grainne's hand is on the light switch, you can see that she is going to turn it on as the shot is in the dark. Then on the right, her hand is coming away from the light switch as she has just turned it on. This is also a reverse shot, as the camera is from behind her. 

This scene is when she is looking outside the window of the back door. On the left, notice the position of her right hand, it is about to touch the door handle. This shot is a mid-shot. On the right, we see her right hand lock the door, the finish to the shot. 

Overall, I have learnt so much from this filming experience. The preliminary tasks being our first time some of us had edited turned out well, but after being taught the different types of camera shots, and researching other films has really shown our progress in our films. Personally, my main help was from simply viewing other films, seeing how they do it. Also, writing accounts of what we had done/learnt that day in class, for us to reflect back on and remind ourselves.