Who did you work with and how did you manage the task between you?
- I worked with Anjana and Shobnam and we worked well together because we listened to each other's ideas and we also shared the jobs equally between us. For example, I was in charge of costumes and the script, Anjana was in charge of props and the shot list and Shobnam was in charge of storyboarding.
- We all had an equal amount of time to edit, but we all discussed the editing decisions.
- We also managed to come up with an idea fairly quickly, so that we could get on with planning much faster.
- Because I was the main character in the sequence, I was unable to do much of the filming because I was mostly on screen.
- We didn't work too intensely, and kept the atmosphere light and fun. We enjoyed the task a lot and managed to fulfill all the necessary requirements.
How did you plan your sequence? What processes did you use? What theories did you try to take into account?
- Brainstorm - We shared our individual ideas and agreed on a final storyline. This helped us to expand on our initial ideas and come up with a feasible concept.
- Script - After we decided on our idea, we drafted a few lines of dialogue that we'd include in our sequence. We had about 10 lines of dialogue and we each helped to make the speech fit in with the sequence idea.
- Shot List - We wrote down all the different shots that we wished to include. Then we translated all the shots from the shot list onto a storyboard.
- Storyboard - We knew that we had to have at least 10 shots for the dialogue and 5 shots for the entry into the room. We also decided to add a few extra shots and techniques, such as a Cutaway (of the family photograph) and a Reverse shot from the opening of the door to the girl entering the building.
What technology did you use to complete the task and how did you use it?
- We used Adobe Premiere Pro for editing the sequence
- A Canon DV30 camera and tripod for shooting the sequence
- We filmed some shots without the tripod purposefully in order to create a unstable shot, a metaphor for the corrupt Director, making the poor woman spy come back to the spy force despite the fact that she has a family
What factors did you have to take into account when planning, shooting and editing?
- Continuity was the biggest factor that we had to take into account; the brief stated that we had to include a match-on-action, a shot reverse shot and follow the 180 degree rule
- Time was also quite important as we didn't have much time to film or edit, and so had to remain efficient throughout the task
- One of the group members was absent for one of the shoots, due to other commitments and so the remaining two of us had to plan our shooting times well; on one day we filmed all of the shots with me in them, and then the other day we filmed all the shots with both of us in them
- Most of the groups wished to film in the media block, so we had to discuss who would be using which room. We booked the office in the block (because we needed an official looking room) and so we were undisturbed throughout the duration of our shoot.
- We also had to ensure that there were no people walking past as we were shooting our sequence outside
- When we were editing, we had to ensure that the shots flowed well and that the sound matched the action when we used the cutaway
How successful was your sequence?
My sequence was quite successful because we used all the required techniques and conveyed a sense of the spy genre. We did this through our costumes and props. Our cutaway was also very successful because the sound matched and the shot cut away at the right time and it looked very professional.
In hindsight, what would you improve/do differently?
Including a 2-shot during the conversation would have been more logical and also given us a sense of where the characters are in relation to each other. We could also have used a CU instead of an LA on the last shot, because the shot just looked out of place and odd. We could also have tried to ensure that the lighting was consistent, because some of the shots in the office were shot using one set up and the others were shot with another.
What have you learnt from completing this task? How will this learning be significant when completing the rest of the foundation coursework?
I learnt how to edit a sequence following the continuity rules, and how to make the sequence look like it flowed. I also learnt how my group members worked, and we managed to create a very positive dynamic. This was crucial, as I have found that communication is one of the key aspects of a successful piece of groupwork. I also know now that my strengths are mainly in the editing department. And acting, obviously!
