The preparation and planning for the main task was very different from that of the prelim task. It was far more sophisticated and detailed, with more in depth storyboarding. We also included prop lists, cast lists, costume lists, and there were far more stages in the planning process.
The filming process also developed. With the prelim storyboard, we looked at basic shots, as we were getting used to using the camera. Our shot list for the main task was far more developed, looking at the importance of close ups, keeping within the 180 degree rule, which we broke in our prelim and the best way to actually use the camera when filming our main task. In the prelim, I established myself with using the camera on a tripod, but in our main task a handheld camera was more appropriate, to capture the sense of urgency and rushing. We used a variety of shots in our main task, to keep it interesting, such as pans, and shot reverse shot. In our prelim, the shot choice was limited, only really using wide, medium and close ups.
In terms of shot composition, I have become conscientious about where I place things within a shot. In the prelim, the composition was messy and un-planned, but in our main task the composition was relevant and contributed to the theme of the task.
In our main task, there was no dialogue, so we had to think a lot more about how to tell the story visually. It was quite challenging at first, but after storyboarding in depth we knew what mood and atmosphere we wanted to convey so were able to come up with an interesting, visually stimulating sequence.
Below are screengrabs from the main task and prelim, showing the development in my media skills:
The use of sound has developed from basic prelim recording, to using Soundtrack Pro to create music and ambient sounds. The sound was key in our main task, as it helped contribute to the feeling of panic, with tense music. In the prelim, we only used basic speech, and all of the sound was diegetic, making it dull to watch. The use of non-diegetic sounds added to the atmosphere, as well as indicating the tense mood. In Soundtrack Pro, we changed the sound levels of our composition to vary the noises. An example of this is when the hacker enters a room, and the music becomes quieter and slower, making it uneasy and giving the sequence suspense. We also used sounds such as the gun shot, and breaking bones, to emphasise the fight at the end.
In our main task, we used After Effects to create the title cards. We did this by collecting images together, scaling them up, and creating a moving sequence. We also edited the colours and saturation to make them black and yellow, colours used to represent danger. We also used images, such as death warnings, to foreshadow the events which happen at the end of the sequence. In the prelim, we did not use any titles, so had no idea of how they were made. I enjoyed making the title cards, and found that After Effects was actually quite easy to use once I knew how.
In summary, I feel that the skills I have acquired over the course of time have grown massively. When we shot the prelim, I was not really comfortable with using a camera, and found editing hard. But now I feel that I am confident in my film making skills, not only with a camera but also with using editing techniques, such as After Effects.
