AS Media Studies Video Preliminary Task Evaluation

1. Preliminary task evaluation
AS MEDIA STUDIES
Mima Micic

2. Introduction
THE PURPOSE OF THIS PRELIMINARY TASK WAS TO MASTER MEDIA STUDIES
SKILLS AND TECHNIQUES.
THE FIRST TASK WAS MAKING A SIMPLE PHOTO STORY WHICH WILL
DEMONSTRATE MY KNOWLEDGE OF SHOT TYPES AND FRAMING. IT INVOLVED
TAKING A DOZEN OF LANDSCAPE STILL IMAGES WHICH WERE PLACED IN A
CHRONOLOGICAL SEQUENCE IN ORDER TO VISUALLY DEPICT THE SIMPLE
NARRATIVE.
filming equipment
my photo story
example of a photo story

3. I WAS A PART OF A TWO-PEOPLE GROUP, SO FOR THE MOVIE SEQUENCE WE DECIDED
TO MAKE A PLAUSIBLE STORY, RATHER THEN A SIMPLE CONTINUITY TASK SINCE BOTH
OF US ARE VERY IMAGINATIVE AND AGREE ON MANY IDEAS. THIS ASSIGNMENT WILL
SHOW OUR UNDERSTANDING OF FILMING TECHNIQUES SUCH AS SHOT/REVERSE
SHOT, MATCHED ON ACTION AND 180 DEGREE RULE. WE WERE IN CHARGE OF
DIFFERENT THINGS AND WORKED WELL TOGETHER.
180 degree rule shot/reverse shot matched on action

4. MY FAVORITE INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT WAS FILMING AND DIRECTING THE FILM. I ALSO
ENJOYED CREATING THE CHARACTERS AND MOODBOARDS FOR THEM SINCE I LOVE
VISUALIZING CHARACTERS AND DETERMINING THEIR AESTHETIC. I ALSO ADORE CREATIVE
WRITING SO COMPOSING THE STORY WAS A PLEASURE. ASSISTING WITH EDITING WAS ALSO
VERY ENJOYABLE AND USEFUL. MY PARTNER AND I CAME UP WITH THE IDEA OF A GIRL
OUTSMARTING THE DEVIL AND IMMEDIATELY KNEW THAT EVEN THOUGH THIS TASK WILL BE
FUN TO DO, IT WILL REQUIRE MUCH WORK.
my devil moodboard
example of a
personal
moodboard
my Isabelle moodboards

5. Areas of success
OUR STORY WAS WELL DEVELOPED AND WE BOTH CONTRIBUTED WITH LOTS
OF STIMULATING IDEAS. WE WERE FEEDING OFF EACH OTHER CREATIVE
ENERGY AND ENJOYED WORKING TOGETHER.
OVERALL EXECUTION OF THE FILM WAS A SUCCESS DUE TO OUR INTEREST
IN THE SUBJECT AND WISHES TO WORK IN THE FILM INDUSTRY. WE AIMED TO
CREATE SOMETHING A BIT MORE COMPLEX RATHER THAN A SIMPLE
CONTINUITY SEQUENCE SINCE WE WANTED TO WORK ON OUR TECHNIQUES
AND TECHNOLOGICAL SKILLS.
OUR FRIENDS AND TEACHERS SAID THAT THE FILM WAS ENTERTAINING AND
THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE SIMILAR FILMS THAT WE MAKE.

6. Areas of improvement
SINCE THIS WAS OUR FIRST TIME MAKING A MOVIE SEQUENCE, ALL
IMPROVEMENTS WILL COME WITH EXPERIENCE.
NO MUSIC WAS ADDED IN THE MOVIE. THE MUSIC COULD BE USED TO
INTENSIFY THE EMOTIONAL IMPACT OF THE MOVIE AND CREATE SUSPENSE.
WE WOULD ALSO TRY TO MAKE EDITING EVEN SMOOTHER AND TELL THE
ACTORS TO STAY STILL AFTER THEY’RE DONE WITH THEIR ACTION SO WE CAN
FILM ADDITIONAL COUPLE OF SECONDS AFTER THE SHOT IS DONE SO THE
EDITING WILL BE EASIER.
THE MOST PROBLEMATIC AREA OF PRODUCTION WAS TIME MANAGEMENT. WE
DID NOT KNOW EACH OTHER VERY WELL WHEN WE STARTED WORKING ON
THIS TASK TOGETHER. WE BOTH RELIED MORE ON OUR IMAGINATIVE
PERSONALITIES AND LESS ON THEORETICAL KNOWLEDGE AND ORGANIZATION
SKILLS.

7. What have you learned during the making
of your preliminary task?
IN MY PRELIMINARY TASK I LEARNED ABOUT HOW THE FILMS ARE USING THE
MAINSTREAM NARRATIVE STRUCTURE: ORDER, DISORDER, ORDER RESTORED.
WE ALSO EXPERIENCED THE AMOUNT OF WORK AND EFFORT THAT GOES INTO CREATING
A FILM STORY NARRATIVE THAT FULFILLS THE CERTAIN CRITERIA AND HOW COMPLEX
PRODUCING A FILM CAN BE.
EACH STAGE OF THE MOVIE PRODUCTION IS EQUALLY VITAL FOR THE FINAL PRODUCT.
MAKING A FILM ISN’T POSSIBLE WITHOUT CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION, BUT TECHNICAL
SKILLS ARE JUST AS NECESSARY. WE HAVE IMPROVED OUR CAMERA AND FILMING
SKILLS, BUT WE STILL NEED TO WORK ON ORGANIZATION AND TIME MANAGEMENT. WE
CARRIED OUT PRIMARY AND SECONDARY RESEARCH SUCCESSFULLY AND REALIZED
HOW MUCH ENERGY GOES INTO THE PRE PROD. STAGE.
DURING THE PRODUCTION STAGE, WE USED DIFFERENT TYPES OF SHOTS AND RULES
SUCH AS THE 180 DEGREE RULE, MATCHED ON ACTION AND SHOT REVERSE SHOT. WE
LEARNED WHAT EFFECT DO THEY HAVE ON THE AUDIENCE AND THE VISUAL LANGUAGE
OF THEM.
THE EDITING PART WAS CRUCIAL FOR TRANSFERRING THE ATMOSPHERE OF THE FILM TO
THE AUDIENCE. IT ESTABLISHED THE PACE AND ENHANCES THE SENSORY RESPONSE
FROM THE AUDIENCE, WHILE TELLING THE STORY.

8. How well did you meet the brief?
OUR STORY DEVELOPMENT IS A BIT TOO ADVANCED SO IT WILL BE HARD TO
IMPROVE MUCH FOR THE MAIN TASK, BUT WE WILL TRY OUR BEST. THE
CRITERIA IS MOSTLY FULFILLED.
WE USED MATCHED ON ACTION, AS WELL AS SHOT/REVERSE SHOT AND 180
DEGREE RULE.
matched on action

9. My contributions
DURING PRELIMINARY TASK PRE PRODUCTION, MY MAIN OBLIGATIONS WERE TO RESEARCH THE
CONTINUITY TASK REQUIREMENTS. THIS INVOLVED DISCOVERING SPECIFIC CAMERA MOVEMENTS AND
TECHNIQUES FROM VARIETY OF TEXTUAL AND VISUAL SOURCES. THIS PROVED TO BE BENEFICIAL DURING
SCRIPT AND STORYBOARD DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE I HAD A CLEAR IDEA WHERE CAMERA TECHNIQUES
AND MOVEMENTS SUCH AS 180 DEGREE RULE, SHOT/REVERSE SHOT AND MATCHED ON ACTION NEEDED
TO BE INCLUDED WITHIN OUR SHORT FILM.
AS A PART OF PRE PRODUCTION I HAVE CARRIED OUT THE CAST SEARCH IN ORDER TO FIND THE MOST
SUITABLE CHARACTERS IN ACCORDANCE TO OUR CHARACTER PROFILE AND DESIRED EXISTING ACTORS
WE WOULD CAST IF WE WERE PRODUCING THIS SHORT FILM PROFESSIONALLY. DUE TO TIME
CONSTRAINTS AND CAST APPLICANTS I HAVE CHOSEN SUITABLE CHARACTERS BUT IF WE ARE TO WORK
ON THIS STORY AS OUR MAIN TASK I WOULD FOCUS MORE ON FINDING MORE PLAUSIBLE BOTH
CHARACTERS IN REGARDS TO AGE, APPEARANCE AND STATUE. NEVERTHELESS, BOTH OF THEM PROVED
TO BE COMMITTED AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY, BELIEVABLE.
IN THE INITIAL STAGE OF PRODUCTION, DUE TO MY CREATIVE AND ARTISTIC SKILLS, MY TASK WAS TO
CRATE A STORYBOARD WHICH INCORPORATES OUR SCRIPT AND BOTH OF OUR IDEAS IN REGARDS TO
OVERALL FILM FEEL AND LOOK. THE STORYBOARD PROVED TO BE AN ESSENTIAL ELEMENT DURING THE
FILMING STAGE, EVEN IF WE HAD TO IMPROVISE AND MAKE CHANGES DUE TO LOCATION AND OUTSIDE
ELEMENTS. IF THIS WAS MY MAIN TASK, I WOULD PRODUCE A MORE VISUALLY APPEALING AND DETAILED
STORYBOARD.
animation vs
live action
storyboard examples

10. SINCE I WAS IN CHARGE OF DIRECTING DURING PRODUCTION STAGE, I PUSHED THE CAST AND
GROUP TO WORK AS EFFICIENT AS POSSIBLE. THEY WOULD OFTEN GET DISTRACTED AND
FRUSTRATED, BUT I TRIED TO KEEP THEM MOTIVATED, MAINLY SINCE WE PLANNED TO FINISH
ALL FILMING IN ONE DAY, SO BEING QUICK AND EFFECTIVE WAS OF HIGH IMPORTANCE. THE
FILMING LASTED A BIT LONGER THAN EXPECTED, BUT WE WERE DONE BEFORE THERE WAS A
NEED FOR ANOTHER DAY OF FILMING. IN ADDITION, DUE TO UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES OF
FILMING ON LOCATION I HAD TO CREATIVELY IMPROVISE AND MAKE DIALOGUE AND CAMERA
CHANGES.
AT THE FINAL POST PRODUCTION STAGE MY MAIN ROLE WAS THE ASSISTING EDITOR. PRIOR TO
STARTING WITH EDITING, I WAS INTRODUCED TO ‘PINNACLE STUDIO 15’ VIDEO EDITING PROGRAM
WHICH I FOUND USER FRIENDLY AND APPROPRIATE FOR THE EDITING OF THE SHORT FILM THAT
WE HAVE PRODUCED. IN THE INITIAL STAGE OF EDITING, MY MAIN RESPONSIBILITY WAS TO
SOURCE OUT RAW FOOTAGE AND TO SELECT MOST SUITABLE SCENES THAT FOLLOW THE
SCRIPT, STORYBOARD AND FILMING CHANGES THAT I MADE AS A DIRECTOR. DURING THE MAIN
PART OF EDITING, DUE TO ABSENCE OF THE MAIN EDITOR, I HAVE COMPLETED THE FINAL STAGE
OF EDITING AND ASSEMBLING THE FOOTAGE IN A COHESIVE NARRATIVE STRUCTURE. IN THIS
FINAL STAGE, AS THE FILM PROVED TO BE MORE THAN WE DESIRED AND HOPED FOR
CONSIDERING THE PRELIMINARY TASK REQUIREMENTS, I HAVE, ON MY OWN INITIATIVE,
INCLUDED TEXTUAL CAPTIONS THAT ARE SIMPLE BUT AT THE SAME TIME VISUALLY
APPROPRIATE AND AESTHETICALLY PLEASING.
Pinnacle
studio 15
our editing
process

11. Problems encountered and overcoming
them
MY TEAMMATE AND I MET ONLY A WEEK BEFORE WE STARTED THIS ASSIGNMENT, SO WE HARDLY KNEW
EACH OTHER, AND THIS WAS BOTH OF OUR FIRST TIME WORKING AS A TEAM FOR AN EXAM, BUT WE
WERE BOTH EXCITED ABOUT THE TASK AND GETTING TO KNOW THE OTHER ONE’S CREATIVE CAPACITY.
FIRST, WE HAD TO LEARN TO RESPECT EACH OTHERS IDEAS AND INPUT AND DIVIDE THE WORK AS
EQUALLY AS POSSIBLE. WE ALSO HAD TO UNDERSTAND THAT FINISHING WORK ON TIME WAS HIGHLY
IMPORTANT FOR US, SINCE ONE CANNOT PROGRESS AND CONTINUE WITH THE ASSIGNMENT WITHOUT
THE OTHER.
DURING THE PRODUCTION STAGE, THERE WERE MANY ISSUES REGARDING THE FILMING LOCATION AND
EQUIPMENT. I TOOK CONTROL OF OVERCOMING THOSE PROBLEMS BY FINDING THE MOST APPROPRIATE
LOCATIONS DURING THE FILMING PROCESS, ADAPTING THE SCRIPT ACCORDING TO THEM AND
CHANGING THE CAMERA MOVEMENTS TO BE MORE APPROPRIATE CONSIDERING THE SURROUNDINGS.
COMPLETING THE FILM EDITING IN THE POST PRODUCTION STAGE WAS LEFT UP TO ME DUE TO MY
TEAMMATE’S ABSENCE. I REALIZED THAT IT’S BETTER IF I FINISH IT ON MY OWN IN ORDER TO STICK TO
THE DEADLINE, AND SHE AGREED.
WE REALIZED THAT, IN ORDER TO FULFILL THE CRITERIA, ESSENTIAL PART OF THE PRELIMINARY TASK IS
IT’S EVALUATION. I WANTED TO PRESENT THE EVALUATION NICELY, WITH VISUAL ASPECTS MAKING IT
MORE AESTHETICALLY PLEASING, BUT, AT THE SAME TIME, INFORMATIVE AND FILLED WITH MY
IMPRESSIONS AND ANALYSES.
avengers: the only
team better than
ours

12. Closure
WHEN CONSULTING WITH OUR TUTOR, HE EXPLAINED TO US THAT WE DID
NOT JUST FULFILL THE GIVEN CRITERIA, WE EXCEEDED IT AND OUR
PROJECT FITS THE CRITERIA OF A SHORT FILM.
THERE ARE CERTAIN ASPECTS THAT COULD BE FAR IMPROVED, BUT SINCE
THIS IS ONLY THE PRELIMINARY TASK, WE DECIDED TO LEAVE THEM LIKE
THIS. HOPEFULLY, OUR MAIN TASK WILL BE EVEN BETTER AND MORE
ADVANCED THAN THIS ONE. MOST IMPROVEMENTS AND ADJUSTMENTS WILL
COME WITH EXPERIENCE AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND PRACTICE ALL
TECHNIQUES USED IN FUTURE PROJECTS.