The first thing we had to do was to brainstorm some ideas, which we then whittled down to a few favorites, and then down to our final idea. Since many of the prelim tasks from previous years we were shown usually had quite serious subject matters, we decided to do something a bit more unique and go for a sequence that appears to be serious, but with a comical twist. I then thought of the idea of what seems to be a drug trade, but actually turns out to be just selling snacks. I then wrote the script, while David drew out a storyboard to accompany it. However, we did encounter a problem on the day of filming when we were told our storyboard was incorrect, leaving us with little time to complete it. As a result, it was not completed by the time we started filming the scene, which meant we had to decide which angles to do on location. This is both a strength and weakness, as while we were able to make quick decisive decisions, they did stem from lack of organisation. Next time, I would make sure that the storyboard is completed immediately after the script, as these are some of the most important factors in planning.
For the task, we only needed to use a camera and a tripod. This equipment was very expensive, so we did feel quite anxious about using it. Even though we had practiced with the cameras before, there we some things I did learn on the project. I learnt that you literally always have to be thinking about the aesthetics of the shot, especially since the Rule of Thirds was a criteria we had to consider in our work. Also, we learnt it is always best to leave a few seconds on either end of the scene after pressing record, so that the camera isn't still focusing and adjusting through some of your scene. More than anything, this project has taught me that practice makes perfect, as I’m definitely a lot more confident in my use of the technology.
While planning we had to take into account any possible problems we could face. We then carried out a location recce, to ensure that we addressed any issues before we needed to begin shooting. Through this, we realised that our chosen location could possibly not be available to us, as it was usually used for detentions on the day we needed to film. Fortunately, we found this out fairly early on in the planning process, so were able to change location to a nearby room without any problems. For the shooting, we had to take into account the availability of the actors. At the start of shooting one of our actors suddenly had to leave. Luckily, we had an extra actor who was able to take his place. Also, while carrying out the location recce, we found that it would be difficult to find a time when the hallway would be empty. We resolved this by leaving the shots in the hallway right until the end (about 2 hours after school had actually finished).
When editing we had to take into account that neither of us really knew what we were doing since we had little/no experience with the software, so patience was key.
I’d say our sequence was quite successful. I think I did really well with the match-on-action, considering I had never edited before. I also think David and I worked really well together. We knew who was stronger in each aspect of the process and delegated tasks accordingly, and both shared our different ideas and were able to compromise. If I were to do anything differently, it would be to be as focused on the planning side of things as we were on time management. For example, as important as it was that we were out of our location by a certain time, if we had planned better, we could have had more time to do some more shots from a few different angles.
I would say I have learnt quite a lot completing the task. The most surprising is that I’ve learnt that working with another person can actually help rather than hinder. Usually, I am the kind of person where if I want something done right, I will tend to take over and want to do it all myself. However, I have learnt that it can be good to have a second pair of hands/eyes/ears, as having a partner made setting up much quicker and simple, as well as the fact that it means you can see things from an alternative perspective. After this task, I now understand what people mean when they say ‘2 heads are better than one’. Secondly, I have learnt that planning is essential for the final product to be successful. In hindsight, there are probably a few aspects that may have gotten overlooked along the way. On the other hand, I doubt we would have learnt as much about problem solving had we not had to overcome some of those problems. I also learnt that while editing can be very intricate and complicated, it is also something I have grown to quite enjoy. In terms of technical skills, my knowledge of the equipment has definitely vastly expanded. For example, in comparison to the first couple of times we had worked with the cameras prior to the task, the time it took to set up the camera and tripod had probably halved. Also, we found it surprisingly easy to keep on top of time management, whereas we learnt that in the next task we would definitely need to be a lot more organised
The editing part actually makes the gravity of the task a bit more real, as you actually get to see all of your work up there on a screen. Although occasionally it could be a bit monotonous, the intricacy and concentration needed to get it perfect can be kind of relaxing. I’d say that as we progressed and got more acquainted with the software, it definitely became easier. Although we were pretty much on schedule by the time we finished editing, we didn’t put any time limits on each task, which could have turned out badly. Next time I would try and plan the use of my time more, especially if it was a longer sequence.
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