Preliminary Task - Production

As detailed previously, we have been filming and editing our Preliminary Task for around a week now. Having had our timetable (An updated version of which will be posted in the coming days) disrupted due to the heavy snows a few weeks, we have managed to complete our preliminary Project only a week late, which we feel is an admirable achievement and one which we are proud of.

We have uploaded our Preliminary task for the examiner to see. We would like you to note the following;

• The deliberate use of Black & White effects create a darker and more intriguing atmosphere which we feel works well with the initial plot of the film; as well as the feeling that is trying to be conveyed to the audience.


• The 16:9 aspect ratio again highlights the classic feel of the piece and communicates to the audience the very traditional yet hidden feeling of the film.


• We have also experimented with the deliberate breaking of the 180 Degree rule; because we felt that this would both confuse the audience and also serve to demonstrate the switch of power half way through the scene when it becomes clear that the power lies with the sit ted character rather than the standing character (as it was first portrayed).


• We also paid careful attention to the 30 Degree Rule with the opening shots of the scene alternating but with each shot at a 30 or more degree tilt so as to keep to convention and not immediately jar the audience's feel toward the film.


• Also, we were careful not to over use the same perspective or shot type as we were aware that audience's would quickly lose interest.


• We also consciously decided that the cloaked character's face would not be seen throughout the scene because we felt this would increase the audience's sense of both mystery as well as fear of the character; but also serve to accentuate the power that he (initially) yields.


• Also, note the use of non-diegetic sound that is amplified on the soundtrack whenever the standing character is on screen, this again connotes an air of hostility ans suspicion about the character.


• Finally, we also switched the types of shot we used to portray the sitted character throughout the scene as the character transitioned from being controlled to being in control.

Overall, as a group, we feel that this was a very good initial piece of work and we have learnt a lot from it both in terms or technique, method as well as which mistakes not to repeat.

• For example, on one of our raw shots (not included in final edit) one of the camera crew could be seen in the corner, clearly this is the sort of thing one should check before filming a take.


• The camera was at one point not completely level with the horizon because of a mistake with the tri-pod, although we did notice this part way through filming; this is something we should check at the beginning so that footage is not filmed and then subsequently found to be unusable.


• The first time we went to edit; we accidentally deleted one of the clips from the mac; this caused considerable problems; as the entire camera tape had to be re-imported into iMovie. Although this was a "beginner's mistake" it won't be something that is repeated.

In summary, the group feel that the prelim. was a good opportunity to experiment with techniques and learnt the ins and outs of film production.

- Rory