reflective logs
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Week 1
In Week 1, we began to look at Cameras and Tripods. On Monday, we learned how to mount a DSLR Camera onto a Tripod. By doing this, I learned how to move the camera from side to side and up and down correctly and safely. Furthermore, on Tuesday, we learned about the different Shot Types used in photography and Filmography. Some of which include, Long Shot, Medium Long Shot, Close Up and Extreme Close Up. In addition to this, we also learned about multiple camera angles and the effects that they can have when setting up a scene. For example, a Dutch Angle is where the camera is slightly tilted to create a disorientated atmosphere in the scene. Other angles include High Angle Shots and Low Angle Shots, which can portray contrast in superiority. Finally, on Wednesday, we were able to demonstrate our knowledge by taking some example photographs using the different shot types. I have included some of these photographs below.
Close Up Shot
Extreme Close Up Shot
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During Week 1, I felt comfortable being able to mount a camera to a tripod and taking example photographs in their different Shot Types. However, I feel I need to develop this knowledge further by continuing to ensure that I am familiar with the names of the Shot Types and their effects. In order to do this, I will research image stills from other films and attempt to identify the effect that the image and shot type gives off. I feel that the skills which I learned this week are vital to the course and will prove useful in the future when applying them in the setting up and filming of a scene.
Week 2
In Week 2, we developed our knowledge further when beginning to learn about Composition and Framing in Film and Photography. On Monday, we learned the different forms of Composition when taking a photograph and their effects. For example, Contrast, which is the difference between two or more subjects, or the difference between light and dark areas, is a key element in Composition. By using Contrast in an image or scene, it can allow for a subject to boldly stand out. Another Composition method was Symmetry. By using Symmetry in an image, it can allow for a ‘perfect’ setting to be created. We also learnt about Framing. One Framing method that we focussed on was Natural Framing, which can also be described as a ‘Frame within a Frame’. This means that the subject focus of the image or scene is framed within the setting’s natural surroundings. On Tuesday, we were able to demonstrate and practise our newfound knowledge of Composition and Framing when taking example images around the college. When taking a camera around the college, I was challenged to identify areas that could provide Composition methods when capturing an image. For example, when taking an image that focussed on Leading Lines (a composition method that focusses on lines leading to a specific point in the image), I was able to find some metal rails which allowed the image to seem like the lines led further around the photograph. I have included this photo and some other photos and their methods below.
Leading Lines
Contrast
Natural Framing
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During Week 2, I felt comfortable being able to identify the different Composition and Framing methods and taking images that demonstrated these. In the future, I would be keen to learn more about editing these images to be able to enhance the methods used. I will do this by taking more example images and editing them in my free time. This will help me further in the future when applying these Composition and Framing Methods to photographs and films.
Week 3
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In Week 3, we started to look at more filming techniques, such as, the 180 Degree Rule, 30 Degree Rule, Shot Reverse shot, Over the Shoulder shot and Match on Action. On Monday, we understood the definitions and uses of each of these techniques. We made notes and watched short example clips from films which have used these techniques and the emotions that they conveyed to the audience. We analysed these clips and were able to identify which method was being used and some continuity errors that occurred when using them. This helped me to understand the importance of always checking the finalised product and to think carefully about which technique to use in order to portray your desired meaning. On Tuesday, we put these newly learnt techniques into practise when filming our own short scenes. I felt happy and comfortable using the camera and the tripod which we learnt how to use in Week 1. As a group, we were able to think about which methods we needed to include and what that would convey to the audience. In the future, I think I need to develop and experiment trying different techniques to see the possible outcomes and what they will portray.
During the practical task, I decided to use a mapped-out storyboard of our scene to help have a clearer understanding of what we wanted to capture. On the story board, I created a simple sketch of how I wanted the scene to look, the Shot Type to use and any additional composition and framing methods that we would include. I found that having this story board was helpful in achieving what it was we wanted to shoot. The skills that I learnt this week, which included, the filming techniques and their uses, will allow me to develop my filming in the future. By using these skills in my future work, I will be able to create a more meaningful scene.
week 4
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In Week 4, we developed our knowledge of camera settings when looking in depth at Shutter Speed, Aperture, ISO, and Exposure. On Monday, we began to look at the definitions and uses of these settings and why they are used in film and photography. We made notes and recorded some standard settings and what effects they can have on an image or film. We also learnt about where to find each setting on a camera in preparation for Tuesday’s task. The Shutter Speed setting can be found under the TV setting on the camera wheel, whereas the Aperture setting can be found under the AV setting on the camera wheel. On Tuesday, we began to demonstrate and experiment our knowledge of these camera settings when taking example images. In groups, we found locations and subjects that could demonstrate these settings, whilst taking our own individual images. I felt comfortable in locating the different camera setting buttons on the camera whilst taking my images. Finally, on Wednesday, we uploaded our images and reflected on them. During the task, I noted the different camera settings that we used in our images from Tuesday’s task and the effect that they had on the final image. I was able to identify what settings worked and which ones didn’t, encouraging me to explain what I would do to change that in the future.
During the task, I tried to additionally use some of the methods that we studied in previous weeks, such as natural framing and composition, however, the focus was to ensure that we used the correct camera settings when taking our photographs. I was pleased with the final outcome, however, there are some changes which I would make when capturing my images in the future.
Week 6
For this week’s task, we began to look at Lighting Techniques and the 3-Point Lighting Technique in Skills Development. On Monday, we were introduced to some basic Lighting Techniques used in TV and Film. Some of these included, Hard Light, Soft Light and Harsh Light. We also learned about why different types of lighting is used. Some of these include, to illuminate the subject, to communicate the time of day, and to guide the viewers attention to a certain subject in the shot. We also briefly recovered how Colour Temperature is used in Lighting. We then looked at 3-Point Lighting and why and how it is used. 3-Point Lighting is when three different cameras are used to create a basic lighting set up. These lights include a Key Light, a Fill Light, and a Back Light. The Key Light, which is placed to the side of the camera, provides the main source of light in a scene. The Fill Light, which is placed on the opposite side to the Key Light, provides a dimmer light to the other side of the subject, creating a shadow effect. Finally, the Back Light is placed behind the subject, lighting the subject from the back, often creating a silhouette effect. On Tuesday, we demonstrated our new knowledge when taking some example photographs using the 3-Point Lighting method. In the Television Studio, we learned how to set up the three lights stated above safely and correctly. We took multiple images which used each light separately, and then some photos with two lights mixed at one time. We also took an image using all three lights. After this, we experimented with using the lights by adding some coloured gels to each light. We used multiple different colours, such as, orange, green, pink, red and blue, to create a coloured reflection in our image onto the subject. On Wednesday, I reviewed the images and explained what had gone well and what we could do next time to make our images even better.
Furthermore, On Monday, we started to look at the different roles in TV and Film Production in the Media Industry section. We concentrated on the three stages of production – Pre-Production, Production, and Post-Production. We were able to identify each role and research what each job role involves. On Tuesday, we made a ‘Film Production Infographic’ using the creative platform, Canva, which allowed us to create a list of job roles and their descriptions. I found this task very useful as it allowed me to identify the different job roles that are available in the industry and start to think about which one I would like to investigate further. Also, this week, we continued our ‘Who Am I’ project task when taking a music test. We listened to music samples and answered some questions based on our emotions. We then received results about how music effects our emotions, concentration, and interests.
Overall, I have found the tasks very interesting this week and I know that the things that I have learned will help contribute to what job I would like to do in the future.
Week 5
In Week 5, we began to look at White Balance and Colour Temperature in photography and film. As part of our skills development, we learned the definitions of both methods and why they are used. On Monday, we made notes about Colour Temperature on the Kelvin Scale and the different White Balance settings. We also looked at different examples so that we had a clearer understanding of what the images may look like when using these modes. On Tuesday, we used our newfound knowledge when taking example photographs in groups. As a group, we took several photos using the different modes in multiple locations – one interior photo with interior lighting, one interior photo with exterior lighting, and one exterior photo with exterior lighting. We carefully chose each location so that we knew we were capturing each image in the correct light. After reviewing our images, we uploaded them onto our OneDrive. On Wednesday, we began to study our images in more depth when explaining if we thought they were successful, if they had clearly conveyed the setting that we used and what we may need to do to be successful next time.
For our Research task this week, we were challenged to question ourselves about our own beliefs and feelings, through the Who Am I project. I have started to think about my skills, values, aspirations, and interests. I also considered what my ideal job would be and why. I will continue to ask myself these questions so that I have a clear vision of what I would like to do in the future. For our Media Industry task this week, we were asked to write a mission statement about what we would like to achieve and aspire to do in the future. This task allowed me to remind myself why I do what I do everyday and that every step counts towards getting to the place you want to be.
Week 7
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This week, we began to look at Microphones and Polar Patterns. On Monday, we started to look at the the most common types of microphones - Dynamic and Condenser Microphones. We made notes about each microphone, for example, what they are most commonly used for and what sounds they are sensitive to. In addition to learning about these microphones, we also looked at different Polar Patterns and what they are used for. There are multiple different polar patterns, such as, Omnidirectional, Cardioid, Hyper-Cardioid, Bidirectional and Shotgun. All of these polar patterns are different shapes and are each used to record different angles of sound.
On Tuesday, we put these new techniques into practise when recording our own sounds on the Zoom Microphone recorder and our phones. We recorded these sounds in contrasting areas - indoor ambience and outdoor ambience - so that we could compare the recorders capabilities. After doing this, we then analysed each recording and consequently found that each device recorded the same sounds but at different volumes, making different noises stand out.
Furthermore, on Wednesday, we continued to use our new skills when completing another audio task. This time, we were challenged to record multiple sounds related to a word, e.g, Nature. We once again used the Zoom Microphone and had to ensure that the levels were correct so that the audio was neither too loud nor too quiet. After completing this task and listening back to our audio, I was pleased with the results, however, I would like to learn more about audio levels, going into more depth about why they are important.
Overall, I found the tasks this week very useful and know that they will prove handy in my future work. I now understand the importance of audio and sound, and the safe ways to use it correctly. It is very important to adjust the volume before listening back to any audio, as high volume can cause severe damage to the ears.
week 8
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This week, we began to look at the Editing Process and why it is important. When creating a film, the Editing process can either make or break the film through the way that the story is portrayed. When editing, it is important to listen and communicate with the writer and director to ensure that you create a true representation of the story that you are telling.
On Monday, we began to look at some of the key components needed when editing. These involved Frame Rates, Aspect Ratio, Resolution and Interlaced Frames and Progressive Scans. We studied the definitions, why they are used, and looked at some examples. Frame Rates are the rates at how quickly a moving image is captured. The lower the frame rate per second, the less images captured. Frame Rates can determine how smooth or jumpy a video can look. Aspect Ratio is the size at which the video is being shot and is determined by its width, multiplied by its length. This can be affected by what size screen the video is being shown on originally. For example, if the video is being shown on a small screen, the aspect ratio could be around 4:3. Whereas, if the film is being shown on a wide screen, the aspect ratio could be 2.35:1. Resolution is important when determining the quality of the video footage. The higher the resolution, the better the quality video and vice versa. Common resolutions include, 480p, 720p, and 1080p. Finally, Interlaced Frames are made up of two images put together on the screen, whereas, Progressive Scans are made up of one image on the screen. Progressive Scans are commonly used on flat screen TVs and allow the video to appear smoother and sharper, however, Interlaced Frames were mostly used on older TVs where the video appeared slightly more blurred due to the delay in the two images.
On Tuesday, we started to look at the editing software, Avid. Avid allows us to edit our video footage together and adjust several things, such as colour and audio. We uploaded some video footage that we shot a few weeks ago and learnt the basics of editing this together. After doing so and adjusting some of the settings that we learnt about this week, we exported our video. Overall, I was pleased with the outcome of the edit, however, in the future, I would like to focus more on cutting the video footage more precisely. I think that the tasks this week will help me when editing my footage in the future.
week 9
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This week, we continued to study the process of Editing, focussing particularly on the importance of Continuity in editing. Continuity Editing is creating the film so that is easy for the viewers to follow and understand. It needs to feel as though the shot was taken during one single moment in time, and not filmed at different points.
On Monday, we looked at the meaning of Continuity and reflected again on our 180 Degree Rule edit. We got into our same groups so that we could together identify the issues that we faced last time. Firstly, we decided that we would film our video inside this time, instead of outside. We made this decision based on several reasons, such as jumps in the audio and choosing a quieter area to film. After identifying our location, we began to discuss ideas for video this week, and keep in mind the requirements that we had to include in the edit, such as Match on Action. We clearly laid out our ideas on a storyboard so that we had a reference when filming.
On Tuesday, as a group, we were ready to begin filming this week’s task. After securely mounting our camera onto the tripod, we thought about how we were going to film our first scenes. We had decided on Monday that we needed to have an establishing shot to introduce the viewer to the setting and the characters. During the filming process, we were very conscious of the techniques that we wanted to include. We used a variety of shot types, Match on Action, Shot Reverse Shot, as well as OTS shots when filming the conversation scenes.
On Wednesday, we were given the chance to edit our video together using the software, Avid. I was able to use my knowledge from last week to navigate my way around the system. I uploaded all of my video files and, one by one, cut them to the appropriate moments where they would look smoothly put together. Our main focus this week was Continuity in editing and so I wanted to make sure that it was as constant as possible. There were a few minor continuity errors, such as slight arm movements, but overall, I was pleased with the smoothness of the edit. I will use this new knowledge when editing in the future.
Also, this week, we looked at different Director styles and jobs available in the industry. We spoke about what each job involves, and we will be developing this further next week. Some of the roles that we looked at include, Assistant Directors, Production Designers and Cinematographers.
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Week 10
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During Week 10, and for the next few weeks, we are beginning to create our own one-minute short film based on the question, “What If?”. In order to help our research and generate some ideas about what we might like our film to include, we watched multiple examples of one-minute films and analysed them in depth. We commented on Shot Types used, Setting, Lighting, Sound, Camera Directions, Narrative Structure, and Editing Techniques. After doing this exercise as a group, we were then tasked to complete this individually. I watched through some one-minute short film and consciously chose videos which I felt were well shot and edited together, as this would allow me some strong points to discuss. The three short films that I chose were, ‘Inside’, ‘For Milo’, and ‘Whispers’; the links to which I have included below.
Before forming my analysis, I watched each film several times to get a deeper understanding of its meaning and the way in which it had been shot. Whilst watching the films, I studied them carefully, picking out some key points, such as an interesting shot type, or the lighting techniques that had been used. I knew that in order to create an in depth, detailed analysis, I needed to continuously ask myself the question, Why? Instead of simply describing the choices that the director had made, I needed to challenge my thinking, asking myself why they had used it and the effect that it has on the narrative structure, and the viewer. I feel that by doing this, it allowed for my analysis to be more detailed.
After using the checklist of techniques to find in the short films, I decided that I would delve even deeper into the narrative and focus on points such as, Colour, Costume, Props and Hair and Makeup. I was intrigued to find out what these aspects of film would add to the structure of the narrative. In the first film that I analysed, ‘Inside’, I was particularly interested in the choice of costume for the character. The man was wearing a dark coloured zipped hoodie, however, the hoodie was only zipped halfway up his chest. After some thought, I came to the conclusion that this could have been a deliberate decision to symbolically represent the man’s apprehension about the box that sat before him, yet also, his intrigue and desire of the unknown.
Overall, by completing this task this week, it has allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of the aspects of film that are needed when creating a one-minute film. I will use this knowledge throughout the process of creating my own short film.
- INSIDE - "Stay at Home" 1 Minute Film Riot Short Film Challenge - YouTube
- For Milo - AWARD WINNING 1 Minute Short film (2020) - YouTube
- WHISPERS - One Minute Short Film Contest | Film Riot/Filmstrip - YouTube
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Week 11
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For this week’s tasks, we were challenged with generating three ideas that we could use for our ‘What If?’ Project. In order to help me formulate and expand my ideas, I created several mind maps to allow me to question my ideas. I decided that I needed to think carefully about the components needed in my film and ensure that I had a strong story structure. To display this clearly on my mind maps, I used the questions, What?, Why?, Where?, When?, Who?, and How?. This allowed me to thoroughly challenge my idea in depth and ensure that I had filled any gaps in the narrative.
After doing this, I completed a Swot Analysis on my three ideas – Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. I questioned each of these components as this allowed me to understand which ideas were the strongest, and which were not. For the Weaknesses and Threats sections, I tried to think of ways to overcome any issues that I might face when trying to bring my idea to life. I found this exercise very helpful as it allowed me to clearly understand the narratives of all my ideas, the meanings behind them, and which one would be the most effective to create and have the most impact.
To help with formulating our ideas further, we were tasked to watch several short films and carefully pick apart each scene and the meaning behind them. A film that we particularly focussed on was ‘RUN!’. This one-minute horror film portrayed the narrative of a man being followed by a mysterious creature, whilst going for a run. This simple, yet effective narrative was successful in creating suspense and mystery for the viewer. After watching the film several times, I began to understand the creative choices that had gone into creating such an intense film. A particular technical method that stood out to me was the choice to have an unsteady camera as the film developed and the characters fears heightened. This helped in conveying the characters emotions to the viewer, and also increased the viewers suspense.
Overall, I have found the tasks this week very helpful in generating and forming a story idea for my short film. I will continue to use research and planning methods to ensure that I have a detailed and in depth narrative to create.
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Week 12
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For this week’s tasks, we were challenged with carrying out several research activities to help us gain a deeper understanding of how we will create our short film. In order to help me decide on a final idea out of a possible three, I created a questionnaire to send out to various groups of people to give feedback. In my questionnaire, I listed my three ideas and asked those completing it to state their favourite idea, explain why this was their favourite, and if they had any suggestions of how I could make this idea more interesting for the viewer. After gaining some responses, the overall votes were equal between all ideas, and so based on some of the feedback given, I decided to go forward in creating Idea 1. I feel that this idea will allow me to demonstrate several key aspects of the topics we have studied in a creative way. For example, the use of various shot types and how I will use props to inform the viewer of the narrative. The Questionnaire responses also gave me some feedback as to how I could improve my idea, many of which, I have taken on board and will attempt to portray in my film.
After gaining some feedback and securing my idea, I found that it would be useful to analysis different aspects of my idea, from Production Skills and Skills Requirements. Through this activity, I was able to think in depth about the multiple elements I will need to consider when creating my film. Some of these include, Lighting Techniques, Shot Types, Props needed, and Locations. By questioning all of these aspects, I was able to visualise my idea in more detail. I feel that this has helped me in clearly knowing what I will need to make my short film successful.
However, some of these aspects required me to do some further research. In order to get a clear image of the aspects that I needed to research, I created a research plan. This allowed me to see what topics I needed to research, what method of research I would use, and the relevance and importance it would have on my project. After creating this, I carried out several research methods and gained some further information on things that I need to include in my film, and who my film is directed at in terms of target audience.
I have found the research tasks helpful this week as it has allowed me to understand the key aspects that make a successful comedy film, and the components I will need to include in my own short film.
Week 13
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For this week’s tasks, we were asked to create our Pre-Production Documents in preparation for filming our short, 1 minute film. Firstly, I created a mood board to help me gain a better vision of what I might want my short film to look like. I compiled a selection of images that represented the genre of my film, which helped me to visualise what I want to capture through my film. After this, I wrote a short, five-line outline of the basis of my film. This helped me to clearly put my film into words and helped me to fully understand the basic points of my story and the main parts that I would like to convey. In order to allow me to understand my film in some more detail, I created a Synopsis of my film. This allowed me to go into more depth about the key elements of my film. I then used Treatment by breaking my film down further into a scene-by-scene description. I found this task helpful as it allowed me to think of additional moments or actions to include in my film to build on the elements of comedy throughout. I then created project timetables for the Pre-Production, Production, and Post-Production stages of creating my film. I clearly listed the date it needed to be completed by the activity that needed to be completed, who would complete the activity, and what I would need to complete it. I did this for each stage, and I felt that it organised my work into a clearer structure to understand. Furthermore, I then needed to complete a Location Recce to find some possible problems that may arise when filming on location. By finding these problems early, it will allow me to prevent any incidents happening during filming. In addition to this, I also completed a Health and Safety report to further prevent any incidents when filming my short film. I also created a Shot List, a Props List, and a Contingency Plan. Finally, I created a storyboard with simple sketches as to how I would like my film to look. This will be very beneficial to use during the production stage of filming.
Overall, I found the Pre-Production Documents very useful and think that they will prove helpful during the next stage of the project.
Week 14 - week 16
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Production Stages of 1 minute short film.
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Week 17
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For this week’s tasks, we were challenged to edit together the footage we had filmed over the past few weeks for our one minute, non-dialogue short film. Last week, I filmed all of my footage that I needed over the course of a couple of days. Upon returning to college, I reviewed my footage and ensured that I had every piece of footage that I needed before I started editing my film. In order to edit, I used to the system, Avid, which would allow me to cut, add audio, adjust the colour of the videos, as well as using other effects on my video clips. Firstly, I began to edit my first video clip, in which I would need a title so that the viewer is immediately able to recognise what my film is based on. In order to do this, I opened the effects section on Avid and selected ‘Avid Titler’ It is at this point that I inserted the text and adjusted the size, colour, and font to ensure that the title would fit in with the overall theme of the film. After this, I continued to insert video clips into the timeline and cut them using the ‘Mark In’ and ‘Mark Out’ buttons so that the overall film would run smooth. Furthermore, in my film, there is a short moment where I use a stop motion technique through the use of photographs to create the illusion of V.H.S Tapes stacking up in quick time. However, when uploading these images to the timeline, it was clear that the lighting in each was slightly different, therefore did not have the slick effect that I had hoped for. In order to fix this so that the continuity was clearer, I used the colour section on Avid which allowed me to adjust the amount of Exposure on the image. Because I wanted my film to have an overall bright look to fit in with the light-hearted theme, I made sure each images exposure was fairly high, and that all the images were at a similar exposure. After doing this, I was pleased with the outcome as the images now all looked as though they had the same lighting for each, improving the continuity of the scene. I then continued to colour grade each scene so that the bright theme was followed throughout. Towards the end of the scene, I made the decision to cut each clip to a shorter length so that, that particular part of the film felt fast paced, playing on the characters emotions at that time.
I feel that through the tasks this week, I was able to gain some more editing experience, and experience using Avid. This allowed me to gain some more knowledge about how to use Avid and the different features available that can enhance the quality of my film.
After editing my film and exporting it into a file, I then shared it with several people to gather their opinions and asked for them to give me a strength and weakness about my film. This has helped me to reflect on my work and consider any changes that I can make to any future projects.
Week 18
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This week, we began to study a new unit of the Evolution of Cinema. We started to watch some examples of the first ever films that were made in the late 1800s and the early 1900s. After watching these short example films, we were challenged to question the common elements used in the films made in this era. We also looked at how films of this period compared to modern-day films; what elements were similar and what elements seemed unnatural. Furthermore, there were some elements to the film that were absent; these being the use of sound and variety of shot types. After analysing some more short, early cinema films, we were challenged to create our own film that related to this era in small groups. We were challenged to capture some of the common elements that were used in Early Cinema in our own 30 second films. Some of these elements included using a static camera with one single wide shot and refraining from using any form of sound in our film. This meant that we had to rely solely on action to portray a narrative within our film. After some trial and error, we were successfully able to create a 30 second film that told a simple, yet clear story through the use of body movements, gestures and facial expressions. I have analysed this task in more depth in my 30 second short film evaluation.
In addition to beginning to learn about how cinema has evolved, we also started another new unit which focusses on Writing for Television. Firstly, we learnt about the key components that are needed when forming a story. It is important for every story structure to have a clear beginning, middle and end. Also, every story needs to have characters that have a clear meaning and background, a strong narrative outline, and snappy dialogue that matches with each characters personalities. After learning about the basics to script writing, we watched some examples of good, natural dialogue between two characters. This helped us to understand the importance of creating dialogue that flows smoothly between characters. To help us gain a further understanding of this, we took part in some improv activities which challenged us to create our own dialogue on the spot, and then reflect what we said and how natural it felt. Finally, we then began to create some of our own character profiles in which we had to form a backstory for our characters. This allowed us to better understand the characters that we were creating.
Week 19
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This week, we continued to study the new unit of the Evolution of Cinema, when we looked at the Classical Cinema era, which was also known as, Classical Hollywood Cinema, even though films of this time were filmed all over the world. We started this part of the unit by identifying some common aspects that were used in the types of films that were made during this time. Some of these included films having a longer duration compared to films made in the Early Cinema period, a more in-depth narrative, and the fact that films were edited so that the continuity of the films were more precise. After studying some key points, we then watched some examples of Classical Cinema and looked for these features in the films. This gave us a clearer vision of how these techniques were used and the effect that they had on the viewer. We then compared some common elements in Classical films to elements in Early Cinema films. Some elements had similarities to both eras, such as, the lack of sound, meaning that body movements and gestures were heavily relied on. On the other hand, there were also some notable differences. Some of which included advanced technology and Match on Action shots. After watching these examples, we were then challenged to form small groups and recreate a Classical film, ensuring that we included the common elements. To begin, we started to form ideas and create a story board of shots that we planned to use when filming. This allowed us to fully understand our narrative and the limitations that filmmakers would have had to overcome during this time. We shot our film and edited it using Avid, ensuring that we focussed on continuity and including our planned shot types. The task this week allowed me to gain a better understanding of how Classical Cinema films were made and how technology will advance as cinema evolves.
In addition to continuing the Evolution of Cinema unit, we also developed our skills in Writing for Television. This week, we continued our scripts that we began to create last week, which followed the idea of a student and head teacher interacting in an office. I knew that I needed to create a script that was balanced in dialogue and directions. Between each few lines of dialogue, I would include a line or two of action that would help the scene to develop. Furthermore, I also had to ensure that the lines of dialogue and action that I was writing, reflected the characteristics and personalities that I had created. I found this beginning task useful as I feel I am now able to create a clear script that incorporates both dialogue and action.
Overall, I found all of the tasks this week useful and think that they will prove helpful in developing my skills further in the future.
Week 20
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This week, we continued to study the Evolution of Cinema unit when we started to look at Sound in films. We started by identifying the five most common production sounds – Music, Voice, Foley, Sound Effects and Ambience. These five sounds are used the most often when creating films and overlaying sounds. After identifying these sounds, we then watched a short film which explained how Sound has evolved and developed over time throughout history. The film started by explaining how sound was first incorporated in film due to Thomas Edison’s phonograph, which allowed for sound to be recorded and synchronised with film. The video also explained how sound continued to improve over the years, and the differences between the use of different sound elements and Mono and Stereo sounds. After gaining an understanding on the history of film, we then began to look at how each sound element is used, the effect it can have on the film and the viewer, and how it is created. We understood that Music most commonly had an emotional effect on the viewer. For example, delicate and peaceful music might be used in a scene that portrays love, whereas hard and heavy music might be used in a fight scene. Music is a powerful tool when making films that you wish to have an emotional resonance with the viewer. Furthermore, Sound Effects and Foley are often used to create seemingly natural sounds to add to the quality of the film. These sounds are useful when wanting to enhance the narrative. Ambient Sounds also allow the viewer to have more of an understanding of the surroundings of a scene. For example, if a scene was set in a busy city, the sound of people talking and car engines would prove an appropriate ambience, making the scene appear more natural. This led us onto evaluating the functions of each sound and whether they were Impressionist or Expressionist Sounds. Impressionist Sounds are often natural, human, and mechanical sound effects and are most commonly diegetic, meaning they can be heard by both the characters and the viewer. Contrastingly, Expressionist Sounds are often Music and Ambience and therefore, Non-Diegetic, meaning that they are often only heard by the viewer. I found this new information intriguing as I felt it gave me a greater understanding on the history and uses of sound. We then chose a few examples of clips from films to analyse and identify whether each scene used Impression or Expression Sounds. After doing this, we then began to start working on our main task which was to record our own sound effects using one sheet of paper, and dubbing it to a scene from Steamboat Willie. I found this task very interesting as I was able to experiment for myself how to be creative when recording sounds with a limited number of resources.
Also, this week, we continued to study our Writing for Television unit when writing and formatting our own scripts. We were challenged to create our own plots for our script and write them, incorporating a steady balance of dialogue and action. After writing our scripts, we then shared them and acted them out, allowing us to understand the role of a director. Going forward, we intend to work effectively with actors to bring our scripts to life.
Overall, I have found the tasks this week to be beneficial and interesting and think that they will prove useful in my future work.
Week 21
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This week, we continued to study the Evolution of Cinema, when looking further at Sound, particularly, Foley Sounds. Foley Sound is created when adding layers of natural sound to video footage. This makes the Foley sounds that are created appear natural and therefore, allows them to match well with the video footage. After looking at how Foley is created and used, we were tasked to create our own Foley sound effects to overlay onto a scene from The Princess Bride. We watched the scene several times so that we could gain an idea on the sounds that we needed to recreate. To clearly display the sounds that we wanted to make, we listed them, and how we would achieve them in a Sound Design Table. Once we clearly had all of our sounds in the table, we began to source props and objects that would help us to create these sounds. Some of the props that we used were blunt, prop knives, heavy boots, and a sheet of paper. We used each object to represent different sounds; the knives were used for the sound of sword fighting, the boots acted as the falling rocks, and the paper represented the crumbling rock. After recording our sounds in the Sound Studio, we then uploaded them to Audacity and adjusted different elements, such as the pitch and bass, and then uploaded the audio files and video footage to Avid where we edited them together to create the final edit.
After gaining some feedback on the edit from peers and lecturers, I was pleased with the final edit and will take all of the constructive comments on board and ensure I review them when completing a task like this again.
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This week, we continued to study the Evolution of Cinema, when looking further at Sound, particularly, Foley Sounds. Foley Sound is created when adding layers of natural sound to video footage. This makes the Foley sounds that are created appear natural and therefore, allows them to match well with the video footage. After looking at how Foley is created and used, we were tasked to create our own Foley sound effects to overlay onto a scene from The Princess Bride. We watched the scene several times so that we could gain an idea on the sounds that we needed to recreate. To clearly display the sounds that we wanted to make, we listed them, and how we would achieve them in a Sound Design Table. Once we clearly had all of our sounds in the table, we began to source props and objects that would help us to create these sounds. Some of the props that we used were blunt, prop knives, heavy boots, and a sheet of paper. We used each object to represent different sounds; the knives were used for the sound of sword fighting, the boots acted as the falling rocks, and the paper represented the crumbling rock. After recording our sounds in the Sound Studio, we then uploaded them to Audacity and adjusted different elements, such as the pitch and bass, and then uploaded the audio files and video footage to Avid where we edited them together to create the final edit.
After gaining some feedback on the edit from peers and lecturers, I was pleased with the final edit and will take all of the constructive comments on board and ensure I review them when completing a task like this again.
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Week 22
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For this week’s task, we began to look at how Colour is used in film. Firstly, we looked at what colour actually is and why it is used. Colour is a form of multiple lights that can be seen in different ways. Objects that absorb different wavelengths allow us to view different colours through our eyes. We then began to look at how the uses of colour were first discovered, and the Colour Theory was a key part of this. First developed by Isaac Newton in 1666, the colour theory is made up of the three primary colours, blue, red and yellow. These colours are then presented in their different shades once being mixed with the secondary colours, orange, green, and purple, creating tertiary colours, making shades of pink, cyan and magenta. The outer circle of the colour theory is known as a colour wheel and helps creators and designers to understand what colours complement each other and how they can portray emotion and meaning. Complementary colours are often formed through two opposing colours on the colour wheel and can offer strong contrasts. Whereas, on the other hand, Analogous Colours are placed close to each other on the colour wheel. For example, different shades of pink and purples would be considered analogous colours.
For todays ‘Writing for Television’ task, we finalised our scripts and began to rehearse in preparation for next week’s filming task. In turn, we all shared our scripts with others in our class as the writer took on the role of Director and the others acting out the characters in the script. After acting out our scripts several times, the director would stop the actors and give notes, with the actors also giving feedback on the scripts themselves. When directing actors who were performing my own script, I wanted to make sure that the physical element of the acting was prominent. My script relies heavily on exaggerated body movements and gestures in moving the action forward, therefore, this was essential in being able to portray the comedy element in my piece. During the first run through, the actors did a simple read-through, with very little action or movement. When discussing with the actors afterwards, I made sure to explain to them the reasoning and importance behind why further action was needed. During the second run through, it became more apparent that the actors were using more movements and using the space to enhance their performance, however, the comedy element was still lacking. In order to improve this, I encouraged them to think about how they might be portraying comedy when performing and whether they themselves would find it funny.
I found this task particularly useful as it allowed me to understand the qualities needed to be a successful director, and I feel that this knowledge will help me next week when working with actors.
Week 23
For this week’s task, we started working on our final assignment for the Evolution of Cinema. Individually, we had to choose an element of film that we have been studying over this unit. For my assignment, I chose to discuss the Evolution of Cinematography and how this has developed over the years. Before being able to create our final projects, we needed to undertake some further research on the topic. In order to help with my research, I chose to look into five key events in the evolution of cinematography and research them further. These included, The Horse in Motion, by Eadweard Muybridge, The Roundhay Garden Scene by Louis Le Prince in 1888, The Silent Era, researching the likes of The Lumiere Brothers and George Mellie, Classical Hollywood Cinema which spanned from the 1920s to the 1950s, and the introduction of Technicolour in film. I also knew that I needed to focus on and discuss key elements that would obviously have developed over time. Some of these included the duration of films, the film composition, camera focus, shot size, and camera movement. I feel that, from the research that I carried out on each topic, I was able to gain more information and identify a clear pattern of development between each of them. I feel that I have gained enough knowledge to be able to create an informative short video, discussing the history and evolution of cinematography.
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Also, this week, we continued to work on our Writing for Television unit when directing actors when performing our scripts. Before directing our own scripts, we were shown what it takes to be a good director and the qualities needed to direct actors to perform a scene successfully. When directing actors who were performing my script, I felt that I was able to clearly convey to them the nature of the characters, and the actions they would need to undertake as actors to portray this. Also, I felt able to stop the actors throughout the read through to talk to them about how they could improve the scene and what aspects were working well. I found this task very useful as it allowed me to understand the qualities needed to be a good director. I will use this knowledge when directing actors again in the future.
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