Assignment 1–Tutor Feedback and Reflection

My tutor gave me comprehensive feedback on the first assignment. Rather than re-work any of the shots or edits I made for it, I have decided to make note of the criticisms and apply them to future projects. In this way, the improvement from one assignment to the next can be more easily seen. Here is a list of things that I will need to consider for future projects:

1. Exposure: My first shot was underexposed. I have checked out the manual options for my camera and found the iris control which allows me to open and close the iris in graduated steps and preview the effect on the viewing monitor. This will enable me to expose correctly for predominately white scenes.
2. The use of a title for the sequence and/or the use of  a “SLUG” or filler of black frames at the start of a sequence. I did not consider this for the first assignment but will in future projects. I must stop thinking of these as just exercises and add a little “polish” to them.
3. Transition/cut – I need to watch the smoothness of  the transitions between shots. Cutting two shots together where you are zooming in works best if both are zoomed at the same speed and in the same direction.
4. Deciding where to cut. The second shot of my sequence needed cutting after the car pulled away. I can see that now. The alternative scenario proposed by my tutor would also have worked; i.e. filming Angie getting into the car  from within and the car driving off, then cutting to the next scene. Again in the third shot, I needed to have cut before “craning” down. the rest of the shot was redundant. The uncertainty here was really just that. I only had a memory of the scene that was available as we passed so I was filming continually until the monument passed out of shot.
5. Again, constructive comments from my tutor about a better way to record the fourth frame, from outside the car and then cut back to the POV shot of the arrival from within the vehicle.

There is a lot to consider for my next sequence but essentially, more careful planning and being aware of what works best when cutting shots together. Learning to visualise creatively is an essential skill to learn. At the moment I tend to get an idea into my head and film it as I see it. I need to be able to look for the alternatives and will make a conscious effort to do so.

16/09/2013 As I prepare for assessment, I was having seconds thoughts about editing this film in light of my experience over the past year. Unfortunately, since filming and editing this clip I have changed my PC and my editing software. This has resulted  in loss the original footage and the upload file I used for Vimeo has been saved in a format that my current editing software cannot open. I'm sure my progress from this point in the course is evident.