Preliminary Task - Self-Assessment

Self - assessment (Preliminary Task ‘The Interrogation’)

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

- I would say that our film contained continuity editing because our film contained a lengthy amount of conversation which meant that the sequence of events had to be clear and flow smoothly from one scene to another the conversation would seem out of place and ruin the tension created on the play through. We did this through shot reverse shot which was used to show the viewpoints of both characters (what each was supposedly looking at). Also judging from the feedback we received from peers, our film was successful because our editing enabled our audience to become more involved in the film so that they understood the events and how it played out. 

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.)

- I believe that we followed the directions in the brief closely, however for the main part of the preliminary task we did change some of the dialogue when filming to fit the shot. This might have lowered the standard of the film as it took away some of the tension, meaning the audience wasn’t engaged. We managed to include all the different types of shots; shot/ reverse shot, match-on -action, over the shoulder shot etc. and observed the 180-degree rule so that we could focus on the conversation between the two individuals. Also there was some problems with transitions as we couldn’t get every scene to ‘fade out from black’ which meant that the script had to be changed.

Have you used match-on-action?

- Yes, we have used match-on-action in our preliminary task. We used this shot during the interrogation when the folder is being passed across the table, and is then picked up by the criminal in the next shot.

Can you explain what a match-on-action involves?

- This is where you cut from one shot to another view that matches the first shot's action. This is also known as 'cutting on action' and can be used to create an impression of a sense of continuity - because the action is carried through, it creates a visual bridge which draws the viewer's attention away from noticing the cut and other slight continuity errors.

Have you used shot/reverse shot?

- We used the shot reverse shot several times in our preliminary because the majority of the film contained dialogue between two characters so we had to focus primarily on the conversation to create tension in the scene.

Can you explain what shot/reverse shot involves?

- A shot reverse shot is an editing technique and is mainly used in conversations between two people to show both viewpoints, and also to show characters who have taken an interest in an object. It usually ties in with the 180-degree rule to show continuity by not distorting the audience's sense of location of the characters in the shot.

Did you observe the 180-degree rule?

- We observed the 180-degree rule by staying on one side of the conversation at all times.

Can you explain the 180-degree rule?

- The 180-degree rule is where the characters in a scene are filmed from one side of the shot at a specific angle. Also both characters usually have the same left-right relationship to each other so that when they are speaking to each other in a conversation the 180-degree rule can be maintained within the shot. This allows the audience to have a better sense of location in a scene in terms of shots used.

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

- My role in the making of the preliminary task was acting; I chose to play the role of the criminal who has been convicted of a crime and is in the process of being interrogated by the detective portrayed by Steven Norman. I was also responsible for editing the film (with the help of my group members) i.e. cutting, transitions, sounds etc. and for uploading the final version to the blog.

How would you assess your contribution to the group?

- In my opinion I think that I have made a significant contribution to the group as I willing to take on perhaps some of the more ‘complex’ tasks in the production of the film. I also think that me and my group worked well together as part of a team as we didn’t encounter any major problems besides editing, and were able to produce a film that I thought was smooth and effective and suited the chosen genre of crime/ thriller well.

What have you learned from the process of making your preliminary film? (e.g. skills - teamwork, acting, organisational etc.

- Personally I would say that I have learnt better time management skills because if you don't manage your time effectively, then you could end up spending too much time and effort filming and then not enough time editing which became apparent at one stage during our preliminary. Also I think that my acting skills have substantially improved as I volunteered to play the criminal in the planning stage of our film which was a difficult decision for me as I am not the most confident person, however I thought I performed to the best of my ability which helped to raise the overall standard of the film. I also learnt how important teamwork is and that it is better to work with others rather than an as individual as someone may possess a certain set of skills such as editing skills, being able to act etc. which can make it easier on the group when completing a task as each person can contribute equally for the benefit of others. Whereas as an individual it is more difficult to come up with initial ideas for what you want your film to be about also resources might be a problem, and it is more unnecessary pressure when it comes to a practical.