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

We first started planning and filming our preliminary task right at the beggining of the year. So i was really inexpirienced when it comes to techniques of filming. We first had to learn the different types of shots e.g, close ups, long shot, and secondly how to take them.




The two shots on the right are practice shots of a long shot and medium shot respectively. This is how i gained my experience and knowledge in taking these types of shots. This was really helpful as it prepared me for me preliminary task and furthermore my film.

Also we learned how to plan out our ideas in terms of a shotlist so we can refer to that while filming and also shows us what we will have to do when coming to planning the actusl thriller. On the right is a picture of our shot list made for our preliminary task. We have clearly labelled each shot in chronological order and wrote exactly what that shot will consist of. Further more we created an animatic of our preliminary task and edited it in final cut. This helps us gain editing skills and also how to use final cut. This was again helpful as we learned how to place the shots on the timeline and also get to know how to cut and delay shots etc.

This image is of our initial ideas of our thriller, this is where what sub genre we should make it and also the storyline and how it builds up, there is a hint of the characters that should take part and also a glimpse of possible shots. This was constructive as we all decided together what we should do and we all gave our inputs into the idea.




As the time to start filming my atual thriller was getting closer, i did a bit of genre research. This research was into the thriller genre and how those types of films are shot and edited etc. I researched the typical conventions of a thriller what shots they use the most and how they did it and also what editing techniques they had for example, cross cutting.


Below are images from my preliminary task which illustrate techniques i used.

This shot shows the match on match action of rahul opening the door and coming into the room. We see in the left shot of him with his hand on the door handle and pushing the door open. The right shot shows him from the inside of him just about to shut the door behind him. One thing i would change is the take the left shot from rhe left hand side of him so when can see his hand and also we avoid seeing his back which blocks the shot.

This second shot of conveying the shot reverse shot of the conversion between rahul and i.By obeying the 180 degree rule we potrayed the conversation look as though we are looking at eachother. This shot therefore obeys the 180 degree rule which is basically guideline in filming where two actors in the same scene must always have the same left/right relationship to eachother. Disobeying this rule would be if the camer cross the line i.e goes on the other side of us.

The image on the left is of rahul walking past me with the camera behind me. The right hand shot is the same as the left but this time from my point of view. This shows continuity and a different and effective way to film this very shot.

 This image is from our actual thriller opening. This shot presents a match on match action of samir entering the flat, this is exactly the same type of shot that we saw above. We improved this from previously as i mentioned, this was shot from the left hand side of samir so we can see his hand turn the handle. This imporved the shot as know nothing invades the shot, it clear what he is doing.

This is again from the thriller, it shows samir looking up the next flight of stairs with the camera in front of him, the next shot shows the exact shot again but this time from his point of view. In comparison to the pov shot above it is the same, i thought we conducted it well in the preliminary task so i thought i should incorporate it into my thriller.

These are other shots from our thriller. These shots do not particularly show any techniques but they show my development of shots. The shot on the right is from inside the draw showing him pick up the lighter and roll up. By looking at the preliminary task, it does not consist of a type of shot like the shot on the right. The build up of planning and practice has enabled me to think of and employ this shot.

The shot on the left is another example of a shot like the shot above. Its a shot that shows a creative use of a close up. This adds to the tension of the scene and puts the audience on the edge of thier seats.

Overall, i am now confident of using the camera equipment. I can use the tripod effectively to achieve camera angles, i can use to light reflector well to manipulate the light and additionally use the camcorder to record and take good shots and clips. All the planning and practice from the preliminary task up until now has really assisted me, i think without this planning and practice i would find it rather difficult to have produced this my product.