Areas such as:
Research and Planning.
Research and planning was very vital to producing our final product to the best our ability, due it creating the foundation of knowledge we needed.
Match On Action for example, learning things such as camera angles and match on action, through the use of this we learnt how a simple convention of movies is quite essential. The match on action made everything flow and learning this developed our skills even more, skills such learning how to make every camera angle and shot make sense and flow. This creates a lot of consistency and was also taken into consideration within our task. For example at (0.3 - 0.4) the camera quickly changes angle to the front side of Adam, switching from the side keeping our task at a consistent which is easy to follow and enjoyable to watch. This was also taken into consideration within our future production.
Another key thing we learnt that is used in most movies, is the 180 degree rule.
The 180 degree rule is a basic guideline regarding the on-screen relationship between a character and another character. As a result, this created continuity and removed any confusing scenes within our production of other clips. However, at 0.47-0.50, the 180 degree rule was broken which was a mistake my group noticed, as a result of this it could easily disorientate the audience and cause confusion. Also, it showed inconsistency within the task that interrupted the flow of the video and consistency of it. Therefore, this show show crucial the 180 degree rule is when we are filming and the consequences if it is not taken into consideration. This will make us understand in future production of other movies.
Strength.
The strength of our preliminary task was that it was consistent and used a varied amount of angles, while experimenting with a use of camera shots, the reason we did this was because in the first task we had to see what would work on the screen, so that we would get a early understanding of the angles and what it connotes and how it works. Therefore, a good strength was the varied amount of shots and angles we used to experiment in our future production
Weakness
However, a weakness was the amount of mistakes we made throughout the task. There was a lot of inconsistency of 180 degree rule and the time was a bit overextended as we wanted to experiment as much as we can.
Digital Technology.
Strengths
When using the camera it was quite easy to use and understand from learning how to record and pause while attaching it to the tripod safely. Therefore, there was no damages on the camera due to us learning the fundamentals and safety of the camera. It was also easy to get it at certain angles and shots.
Also, using FinalCutPro was quite easy as well as we had the ability to cut out scenes rearrange them in a good order without confusing the audience, we also had the ability to put music which was a good thing to experiment with.
Weakness
However a weakness was the camera would often run out of battery at times, which slowed
down and postponed our production of our task. Also, FinalCutPro was often to difficult to use to cut out scenes precisely so that they would make sense
Creativity
Strength.
One strength was that in our task we used quite a few special effects to experiment with our editing and learn new skills that could benefit us in our future production. We also made up a story line that was quite humorous with dialogue so that it would add some sense of entertainment.
Weakness
However, a weakness was that the theme of creativity could not apply to our BSR, due to us adding non-conventional things such as special effects and humor, also some of the special effects was quite random at times which could create confusion
Post-Production
Strength.
A good strength in Post Production was that all the types of experimenting we did and all the skills we learnt from it, from different camera angles we used and shots to connote different things. As well as time management with the whole task was taken into well consideration.
Weakness
On the other hand, it quite hard keeping all the shots we used in a certain amount of time, as well as making sure all our scenes and shots made sense while recording. This was quite time-consuming and took a while to get use to
Opening sequence Research and Planning
Research and planning was a lot more organised than our first task, we covered a lot of other BSRS t and look into depth detail of the conventions of it. We assembled a new group that we could easily organize plans with later in the future. Moreover, the group we assembled was a very good group that we could talk and discuss ideas with. We first started learn the history of BSR and how it evolved over time, this helped us learn how could apply to our own BSR.
The progress of the genre opened a new perspective of BSRS and how their conventions have changed, which widened our knowledge about the genre.
We also looked within the news for inspiration of the themes and ideas of what we should use in our own production.
We also benefited from going to visit the BFI and see lectures on how to create an ideal opening sequence that suites into the conventions of a BSR. Special guest such as Dexter Fletcher who directed Wild Bill told us about making a film on a tight budget and how to fit the important characters and necessary story line in the few scenes of the opening sequence, for the audience to understand
Digital Technology.
Strengths.
I felt that in terms of Digital Technology, it was useful for our group to use our own personal camera that we felt comfortable with and we had full control over. Most of the school's HD Canon cameras had quite low battery and often need charging while travelling with it, which made it less mobile. We used varied match on action to quicken the pace of our BSR so that the flow of it was easy to follow, while telling the story line in clear sense. Also, long shots and medium shots were used to establish scenes in the movie to showcase the locations and the protagonist lifestyle.
FinalCutPro was also useful to convey the tone and atmosphere of the opening sequence, with non- diegetic sound such as soundtracks that were had quite low pitch and dull rapping, to further emphasis the protagonist lifestyle and state in his life.
Weakness
However, we had a few weaknesses while making the movie which was the cameras. Usually, we would film a Canon HD camera to have better quality so establishing were more clear to the audience. However, we had a few problems with the camera leading us to mostly use our own personal camera which had lower quality.
While using FinalCutPro a strong weakness was our work being deleted, postponing our production of the opening sequence. Therefore, re-editing the opening sequence was quite time-consuming.
Creativity.
Strengths
Our group was quite confident while filming in order of creativity. We looked out for scenes that conformed to the conventions of a BSR, such as gritty alleyways or council flats to convey the working class area, adding to our sense of creativity when looking for these locations. Mise-en-scene such as costumes such as tracksuits were taken into consideration, to further emphasis the protagonist lifestyle of working class and poverty. We also used props such as Guns and alcohol bottles to connote the violence and themes in our opening sequence that would be clearly conveyed to the audience. Another point was the use of fonts and music taken into consideration, which matched up with our themes to give similar connotations which expanded our creativity.
Weakness
However, we did not challenge much of the conventions of a BSR, we mostly stuck to conform to it in order to stay more realistic. This may of downgraded our creativity as it could of gave us more opportunity to experiment with different styles, while keeping it like a British social realism.
Also, we should of varied our camera angles to expand our creativity of connotations. Low angles could of connotes superiority and power, while high angles connote inferiority and even sadness. A more varied use of angles would of expanded the creativity, as even tilted angles could of been taken into consideration to add more interest, rather than a consistent use of match on action and camera shots.
Post-Production
Strength
A good strength was that in our post-production we chose synchronous music that was suited to the themes and scenes, this would make the audience who would watch it feel more comfortable as the pace and tone of the opening sequence fit, while telling the story at a good pace.
Also, most of the lighting was natural and mostly was suited to the scenes to keep a good tone that didn't create any contradiction within the audience. As well as more editing such as transitions to create an chronic style of editing that told the story.
A production logo was also taken into consideration , where it was called 'Fuzz Productions' a simple name that was quite memorable to the audience that could easily catch their eye, we kept the typography of it simple as well whilst the picture. This also made it seem more professional and legitimate.
Weakness
Another clear weakness was the limited amount of angles that were shot in the opening sequence, as a result this weakened the interest and made it seem more dull as the shots became more repetitive as the scenes goes on, this may bored the audience as well. Another weakness was background noise near certain areas, this could create distraction and confusion making it seem less professional and more of a nuisance. Whilst editing, it was very hard to keep it into the time limit and choosing to delete scenes that might of been necessary, or even better. This was also quite time-consuming and delayed production.
Factors such as time-consumption was a big weakness overall in our production, due to a lot of postpones and meeting deadlines making it more rushed, rather than having an ideal opening sequence that was finished in a good amount of time that was not rushed.
