Video EvaluationScott Wilson

Have you met the aims of the brief?

• What were you asked to make? (check 3. Planning and Production lecture) • We were asked produce our own film which had to be within the time limit of 1-5 minutes, you weren’t aloud to use

dialogue and the film had to be filmed within the college grounds in college time , however if you wanted to film in your in own time then you would have to supply our own equipment. The target audience of the product had to be within the age bracket of 16-19 year olds. The film itself is allowed to be a short film or a trailer, Even though the film itself cant have Dialogue you are still able to add in sounds, music and effects in order to make your production a lot more realistic.

• How did your film meet the aims of the brief?• I felt we met the aims of the brief, because our production was within the right time limit for example our product was 3

minutes long and the required time limit was 1- 5 minutes so I feel we did achieve this. One other aspect of our production which met the requirements of the brief was the fact that when we shot the footage it was within the college grounds. One other way in which our production matched the brief is that our Film trailer was aimed at the target audience 16-19 year olds, this was the required age range to aim for and I feel our production matched this. One other requirement of the brief I feel our production matched was that our film didn’t contain any uses of Dialogue besides sound effects, and background music in order to create a sense of suspense.

• Did you not meet any criteria?• The majority of the Footage of our film was filmed offsite however, we were told that we could film offsite in our own time.

• Could you have changed your film to match your brief more?• The Only thing I would change from the film would be to film more in the college grounds.

Does the final film match your original idea?

• What was your original idea?• I felt that our film did match the idea we went with to start with, our original idea was that the production would be a

horror film trailer. The whole concept of the film was to create a trailer within the genre of Horror, its basically about a deranged 17 year old Boy who is on the run from something mysterious and the audience has no idea who it is or what It is. This ultimately gives the audience suspense and it would keep them guessing on what is about to happen. We intended to do most of our shots outside as we couldn’t find a suitable location within the college in order to create and give this scary effect on the audience.

• Does your idea differ from your original idea at all? How?• Our film Idea did differ slightly as there were certain shots we weren’t ale to do due to the fact that we couldn’t find a

suitable location for the shots we wanted to make. One other aspect we changed was the amount of shots that we used for example we were supposed to use about 20 shots we ended up doing approximately 22 shots which then made us have to change a few shots in order for it to fit our planning.

• Has changing/not changing your film from the original idea made your film better or worse? How?

• I think changing some part of the film has made our film better as it made certain aspects of the film work with the story of the film, in addition to this there is also a lot of shots that we could of done in order to make the production realistic and to make it follow our plan. I also think that the fact we didn’t change much in our film which may of suggested that the production looked slightly rushed as we didn’t check all the shots we took and we didn’t see if they fitted or make sense with all the previous shots.

Planning• What were the strengths of your planning? How did your planning help your

filming/editing/overall film?

• I felt that our film did match the idea we went with to start with, our original idea was that the production would be a horror film trailer. The whole concept of the film was to create a trailer within the genre of Horror, its basically about a deranged 17 year old Boy who is on the run from something mysterious and the audience has no idea who it is or what It is. This ultimately gives the audience suspense and it would keep them guessing on what is about to happen. We intended to do most of our shots outside as we couldn’t find a suitable location within the college in order to create and give this scary effect on the audience.

• What were the weaknesses of your planning? What could you have done better/improve? What effect would this have had on your film?

• Our film Idea did differ slightly as there were certain shots we weren’t ale to do due to the fact that we couldn’t find a suitable location for the shots we wanted to make. One other aspect we changed was the amount of shots that we used for example we were supposed to use about 20 shots we ended up doing approximately 22 shots which then made us have to change a few shots in order for it to fit our planning.

Strengths of the filming

• What shots/scenes/sequences do you think worked well? Why? Include specific examples

• The shots which I thought that worked well with the production is the shot at 00:44 I thought this worked well as it was quite dynamic as it showed the character was running away from something and the way that the camera focuses on the middle part and the foreground and background are all blurred out which gives off this dynamic feel and suspense as it creates sense of mystery. One other example of a shot which I thought worked well was the shot at 00:47, I thought it worked well with the production because the I thought the scenery really gave it a mysterious feel to the film as it was Dark and the background itself was pitch black this gave it a sense of suspense. I thought that it worked well because the audience would immediately be drawn into the Location and the sense of mystery that it gives off.One other aspect of the film I thought worked well was the shot at 1:05, I think it makes the audience question what the actor is running from which adds suspense and it could also make the audience wonder what happens next which then adds a unknown factor. From the production that I created the scene I liked the most was the wood land scene from 1:33 to 2:36 I thought that it was this scene that really captured the whole mystery of the film. As there was a lot shots which really captures the whole element of the Genre for example with the use of the pan shot at 1:52 this really captured the whole element of the film and I also feel it adds another perspective for the audience as it moves to the actors face as it shows a sense of fear on his face. One other aspect of the sequence that I enjoyed was the build up to the woodland are from 00:50 seconds to 1:20 the music changed its tempo slightly so that it creates build up which then adds more suspense.

Areas for improvement for the filming• What shots/scenes/sequences do you think could be improved? Why? Include specific examples

• I think the shots which could be improved is the scene at the start as it just didn't look that scary and it didn't really match the genre we was going for, especially at 00:08 seconds in of the film as there was people walking by and at bottom of the shot you could see the wood from the Balcony we was filming from this gave the film a sort of amateur look and it almost killed the whole theme of the film. I think it should be Improved as it its an error in the production due to the fact that it looks unprofessional. One other aspect of the film with regards to shots that could be improved is the way that in some of the shots we didn't position the camera in a good enough position in order for it to work as some of the shots jumped slightly or the lighting wasn't great so we had to change some of the shots or re-shoot them. Especially at 00:15 seconds in the lighting was effecting the shot that we had to make. The reason I think this should be improved is because it makes the production look rushed this a problem as it takes away the smoothness of the product and it also may not match the same colours as the rest of the shots so this could make the film look odd. With regards to the way that the scenes are I don't think theres a lot which needs improving however I did encounter one small flaw within the film is the Scene from 00:25 seconds to 00:41 the sequence wasn't very good and it looked rushed, when the acting in the film wasn't up to standard as I was running at different paces so the shots looked slightly Jumpy. I think this needs to be improved because the film itself doesn't look as professional as I would like it to look and it takes away the point of the film if the acting is bad as it draws attention from the actual plot of the film. One aspect of the film that I would change with sequence it would be the opening sequence as they aren't really done to the standard of which we hoped, for example from 00:08 seconds 00:20 seconds in, I think that it looks rushed and there are a lot of faults with this sequence as it doesn't give it the edge which is needed in the film in order to make it have a horror effect on the audience.

• What would you change/do differently if you had more time?• If we had more time I think the shot that we would change would be the Introduction and the way that it looks because the shots don't

look as smooth as we would like so this would be a problem as it takes away the whole theme of the film as it doesn't really go with the genre of horror especially with the way that the shots look. If we had more time I would make sure that all the shots that aren't up to potential I would reshoot them and make sure they’re what they are supposed to look like. One other aspect of the Film that would benefit the way that the film looks is by maybe add more scenes in order to make it longer and in order to give it more of a story so that the audience can understand whats going on. I would also make sure that all the shots are put in and make sure that all the shots are up to standard so that we can make it look `a lot more professional.

Editing Evaluation

What worked well on the edit

• What edits/cuts/transitions do you think worked well? Why? Include specific examples• The edits that I thought worked well with the production was the use of colour correction that we used in

certain shots of the production. The reason I felt it worked well was because it really gave the production a Creepy effect and it also made some of the shots look less Amateur which gave the product more realism on the production. One other way in which our Edits worked well was the way that we made each shot fit with the cut so that it made the production smooth especially at 00:43. The reason I felt it worked well was because of the way in which the shot alternated to a different location which would suggest that the character was in a another location.

• One way In which the cuts worked well was because the Cut between each of the shots was smooth which allowed the production to not Jump, for example at 00:56 you can see that cut was smooth and you could see clearly that the character has moved to another Location. The reason I thought it worked well was because it didn’t Jump and look unprofessional this allowed the film to flow.

• One way in which the Transitions work well is the way that the we used Fades, this adds a sense of suspense to the audience and it shows that time is passing. This effective as it makes the film look less dull and actually adds a sense of suspense to the audience and I also think that the transition works well with the Genre of the film as fades are usually effective in Horror style Films.

Areas for improvement on the edit

• What edits/cuts/transitions do you think could be improved? Why? Include specific examples• I think the edits which could be improved are the uses of contrast and the colour correcting would be a good start as some

of the shots are slightly bright for example at 00:22, the shot when I was coming out the front entrance was slightly bright and needed to be slightly adjusted but we could of retook the shot on a different day. One other aspect of the Editing we could of improved was the use of experimentation with the Editing in order to make the product look even more realistic and it we could of expanded on our knowledge of editing.

• With regards to the cuts I feel the majority if the cuts worked really well however, there was one small problem at the start of the film approximately 00:04 seconds into the production there is a black screen. This could be improved as it makes the production look unprofessional.

• One other aspect we could improve in Terms of Transitions is we could maybe add more transitions in order to give the film a whole new different feel, it could also change the way in which the film looks and give it a whole new view point. The reason I think this is because the film would be a lot smoother and it would show off a whole new level of production and it would give the film a dynamic feel to production.

• What would you change/do differently if you had more time?• and possibly try to make more of the facilities around the college, this could make more of a story and I also think if we had

more time we could maybe edit more aspects of the film in order to make the film a little more scarier and also change the colour correction and add more transitions in order to make the film look a lot more realistic

Choices made during production

• During the edit did you make any changes to what you originally planned? Why?

• During the Edit I don’t think there was a lot of changes that we encountered and what we initially planned , however our original idea was to add a dark, scary feel to the production that we created and in my opinion I feel that we did achieve this. However there was one thing that we could of changed and that was the amount of shots that we used as we had to delete some of the shots in order to fit in with the time that we had left, for example at 1:05 we had to cut it short in order to shorten it to fit in the time that was available. The reason I think this is because we would be able to add more shots in order to make our film better.

Justification of style for format

• Did you use new wave or classic continuity? Why? Provide examples of how you used the style

• I think our Film had a hint of both classic continuity and new wave as we did most of our shots were done first time. I think we used classical continuity as some shots we didn't edit as much we just let it cut to the next scene, for example at 00:11 where the actor went from inside of the building to outside. I think we did this as we thought that it would be the best way of showing the audience that the actor has moved to a different Location. One other way in which we used continuity editing was at 00:28, this was used in order to make the actor look like he was still in the same location.

• I think we used the new Wave editing in order to show various different angles and cuts for example at 00:33 seconds you can see a close up on the actors shoes in order to indicate that the actor is running and it also gives a whole different angle on the film. I think we used this specific shot in order to show another perspective on the film and to show a different angle on the actors movement as it shows a sense of panic towards the audience. One other aspect of the Film where I felt we used New wave Editing was the use of colour correction on the film in order to make the film darker this gives the film a whole new different outlook. I feel we used this in order to create the Darkness on some of the shots to give it a sort of horror feel, especially at 00:44 seconds as it creates an atmosphere which the audience could feel tension.

Intended purpose of the edited material

• What was your film’s purpose (entertain, educate, promote etc)? How did you achieve this in your film? What aspects of editing helped fulfil this purpose?

• The purpose of the film was to entertain, I feel we did this in our film because in certain aspects I felt it really engaged the audience and it gave them a sense of curiosity as the audience didn’t know who was chasing the character this adds a sense of suspense. We also achieved this with the vast use of darkness within the shots which gives the audience a sense of fear, this immediatley suggest to the audience that the genre of our film is Horror. I think the aspects of the Editing which helped us achieve this is the use of colour correction and darkness of some of the shots as this help give the audience an idea of what genre

the film is. Especially with the shots in 00:55 it reflects a dark, cold chilling atmosphere.

Use of selected editing techniques

• What editing techniques did you use? Return to your terminology section of the 2. Editing Lecture. Why did you use each technique. Provide detailed examples of where each was used.

• Within our film I thought we used the technique Editing in camera as we took a specific shot and stopped started on some of the shots as they didn't need to be edited. I thought we used this technique because it was a good way of showing simplistic shots and we also used this technique in order to save time on some of the edits which we had left to do. We used this technique at the start of the film 00:07 seconds in as it showed that there was barely editing in the shot.

• One other editing technique that we used was the use of continuity editing, we used this technique we were able to create a narrative connection towards the audience in order for them to understand the concept of the film to which we are aiming for and that was to produce a horror trailer. A specific example where we used this technique was at 1:38, at this time you can clearly see that the there is a widescreen shot on the actor in the film so you can see the background and the character, this gives the feeling that there is something looking at him and keeping an eye out.

• We used the of Rhythym a lot in order to make all the shots consistent so it shows the same meaning as all the other shots. especially at the time 1:00 this was used in order to create a sense of Danger and to make sure that the shots made sense with the production.

Ability to convey intended meaning/atmosphere

• Reference where your edits created meaning and atmosphere. Reference specific examples• An example of where our edits created a sense of meaning is with the use of Darkness on the colour correction of the

film, this was used in order to create a sense of suspense and to make the audience sort of wonder or guess what is going to happen. This happens at 1:38 where there is a wide shot on the actor this has been used in order to make the audience know that there is something looking at him which creates the sense of fear. One other example of where we used darkness on the colour correction is at 00:44, the atmosphere and the meaning which is created in this scene is the fact that scenery looks damp and dull this immediately indicates to the audience that the Film is horror and it makes them question what might happen later on. It also would make them ask questions and think a bit more about the film. The reason I feel this is because the location of the bridge and the cars that are flying past give it a little bit of atmosphere as it makes the audience get an idea of the Location of the film.

• One other way in which we created atmosphere is the Locations that we chose for example at the start of the film at 00:05 seconds in theres a use of a birdseye view shot on the character in the film this would suggest that someones watching him and it shows who's in power throughout the film. It also creates a sense of Danger on the character. One other aspect of which the Locations create a sense of meaning is the way in which the woodland area fits in with the Horror genre as it is such a cliche location for other horror films. This is because it gives a creepy atmosphere towards the audience and it also represents mystery as its normally a dark and gloomy place to go. You can see this from the sequence at 1:31 and 2:33 with the bridge and the graffiti on the walls this represents rebellious territory a place where you shouldn't go. there is also a lot of build up towards the woodland scene which gives off a creepy effect on the audience. This is all helped with the use of Colour correction and contrast so that it creates the horror atmosphere.

Peer Feedback

Feedback 1

• What did you like about the film?– What could have been improved in the editing process is that

the effects in terms of colour could have been a little bit more darker (black and white more) so the film has a more creepy feel to it.

• What improvements could have been made on the film?• What I liked about the editing was that the cuts were

made in time with the actions including the quick fade out when Scott looks up and has the scream effect which made the scene look and feel realistic.

Feedback 1

• What did you like about the editing of the film– What I liked about the editing was that the cuts were made in

time with the actions including the quick fade out when Scott looks up and has the scream effect which made the scene look and feel realistic.

• What improvements could have been made to the editing?• What could have been improved in the editing process is

that the effects in terms of colour could have been a little bit more darker (black and white more) so the film has a more creepy feel to it.

Feedback 2• What did you like about the film?

– • Good use of locations

– • Fulfilled brief well

– • Colour balancing worked nicely to add to atmosphere in exterior shots

– • Good use of locations to diversify footage and develop tone and atmosphere

• What improvements could have been made on the film?• • Could have established plot early in the film so we understand why he is running from

something/someone

• • White balance/light input could have been checked when filming to ensure shots do not differ from each other dramatically

Feedback 2• What did you like about the editing of the film

– • Good post production techniques to give exterior shot near professional visual style

– • Shots progress story

– • Shots last an appropriate amount of time

• What improvements could have been made to the editing?

• • Shot of the underpass could have been cropped further to remove skater from view

• • Further post-production editing techniques could have been used to minimise colour/light change between interior and exterior shots

•

Peer Feedback Summary• What do you agree with from your peer feedback?

– I agree with that some of the shots weren't the same as there was quite a significant amount of Lighting that really killed the atmosphere of the film, I also agree that the fall in the film wasn't realistic. As i don't think it looked as believable as I would of hoped it would be.One other aspect of the feedback that I believe is the way that the plot of the film wasn't introduced quicker which made some audiences confused about what I was running from. One other aspect of the feedback that I agree with is that the shot of the underpass could of been cropped a lot more so you weren't able to see certain people in the background. I also agree that further post production editing techniques could of been implemented in order to make the product look a little less uneven.

• What do you disagree with from your peer feedback?

• The only aspect of the feedback that I disagree with is that the way that the darkness and the colour correction that we used was implemented so we didn't really need to make it any darker than it actually was.

Peer Feedback Summary

• What changes would you make to your film based upon your peer feedback and why?

• The changes that I would make to my Production is that I will add better lighting on some of the shots as it didn't look as consistent as I would of wanted, one other way in which I would improve my Film is by making some acting sequences a little more realistic, this could make the audience believe the plot of the film. One other aspect of the film which I agree with is to add more shots in order to make the film have a plot to which the audience would be able to follow. I also agree that in some of the shots there are things as to which that needed to be cut out in order to make the film look that bit more professional and realistic. I also agree that there needs to be a lot more post production aspects in order to make the film look a lot scarier with regards to editing.