Planning: Preliminary task - Mr Smith

The purpose of preliminary task

The purpose of making a preliminary task is because it gives us a chance of exploring new things - learning how to film and edit, especially when it's our first time doing it. 

The preliminary task helps us learn our mistakes so that the next time we start filming - we will know to do because we've did it before.  

Video

The video we've created for the preliminary task isn't related to our thriller opening that we're going to make.

In this video that we've created for the preliminary task, it's about a young sixth former (boy) asking another young sixth former (girl) out  - to go to the cinema. Because it's a preliminary task, it had to be a 30 second video about anything.

The scenario (Screenshot)

  The scene starts with me asking Suweda a question "What're                                                                  you planning to do later"?

 This bit is where Suweda answers his question saying that she has                                                          nothing planned later.

  This scene shows him  asking if she wants to go out to the cinema                                                         later. She replies saying "Yeah, sure", then I asked her if I should                                                           take her down the stairs.



  This scene is where I took her down the stairs.











This bit is shows Suweda going somewhere else, I decided to go downstairs. I told her that I'll pick her up at seven and she replies to him saying 'Okay'.










This scene shows me walking down the stairs.







This scene shows me still walking down the stairs - this is the ending of the video we've created for the preliminary task. 

Group roles

We all had a role in making the preliminary task:
Actor: Mohyadin
Camera operator: Fatma
Actor: Suweda
Editor: Lara

Difficulties you encountered whilst filming

One of the problems we'd encountered was lighting, while filming there was a problem with lighting during the first 10 second (The scene where I was talking to Suweda next to the window).
Another problem we'd encountered was the echo, because we was in the stairways you can hear our footsteps and our voice echoing sometimes. However, it wasn't that big of a problem because during editing, the echo wasn't loud enough to hear.

There was a light coming behind me from the window, we didn't notice this until we started editing. 

Difficulties you encountered whilst editing (Screenshots)

It was hard cutting down the video from 1 min and 60 seconds to 30 seconds. There was bits we needed to cut out.

None of us have an IMac and cause of that we had to learn how to use it - at first it was difficult to use this software called Final Cut Pro, but then we started  to get a hang of it.

After filming and inputting the video on a program called Final cut pro, we've noticed there was light coming out from the window behind me in the video. We didn't notice it until editing the video. 

What have you learned?

There are many things that I've learned from making the preliminary task. One of the things I've learned is that I now know how difficult and long it is to edit - it wasn't long when editing a 30 second clip but possibly it will take long to edit a 2 min opening which my group will soon make.

Another thing I've learned is that it can be annoying to get distracted and disturbed during filming, randomly someone or something (such as cars, bikes, noise etc.) can disturb you while filming - which will cause to film again. 

 Doing the preliminary task has gave me a hint on how editing and filming can be.

Conclusion: How has the task beneficial 

The preliminary task has helped me realize how hard it is to edit and film, there can be many risks and problems coming in our way during filming.
This practice gave us a good preparation (filming, equipment, editing, final cut etc.)