Peer Assessment - Action Plan

In our media lesson today, as a class, we all looked at each group's blog. Each group presented their blog to the class and explained what they have included in their blog. When it was our turn to present our blog to the class we got some feedback from Mr Lewis and the rest of the class which we can now attend to:

• At the time we were missing our preliminary film feedback video, which is a key part to our blog and our preliminary progress. We have already put that video up and that was the last post that was on our checklist. Now we have every post we need on our blog, however improvements and adjustments still need to be made in order for us to achieve a better result.

• We had two titles which were worded slightly wrong, and there was a possibility that this could mislead an examiner and ultimately could lower our grade for our preliminary. We now know to attend these issues and adjust the titles to fit the post accurately.

• We do not only need to change some titles, but we still have not correctly labelled every single post which also could mean that we may lose marks for our preliminary.

• The last thing which we found from our peer assessment in lesson was to state roles for each and every post completed. This is key for our blog as if we do not include them, then one of us may get credit for things we did not do and one may unfortunately not be credited for something which they did well. These corrections will be made promptly and we will leave a message within this post confirming the corrections made.

Friday, 25 October 2013

We decided as a group to split up the 3 corrections and we each completed them Thursday evening, and all the corrections have now been made to our blog.

Group Roles

Zak Jakubowski - In the lesson when we presented our blog to the class my role was to operate the mouse and navigate through the blog while Barney explained what we had accomplished so far. We also observed our positives and negatives in the blog and found 4 faults. my job in the group was to change the titles to the correct wording and explain my group role for each task.  

Elijah Potter - Although i wasn't able to make it into lesson, due to being ill, Barney and Zak filled me in about what had happened during lesson, what was done, and what was learnt. Therefore my task was to catch up on things that i had missed, such as including all the roles that i've done throughout the preliminary task.

Barney Flood - In the lesson when we presented our blog, I was standing at the front of the class and I pointed out each post we made and where we had already completed most of the criteria for our blog. When we had the corrections that needed to be made to the blog I completed the upload of the Preliminary film feedback video. Lastly I have stated my group roles for each post in which the group roles are needed to be shown.

Preliminary Film - Class Feedback

Group Roles

Barney Flood - For this video feedback of our class, I was recording it on the camera and answering some of the questions that the class had about our Preliminary film. I tried to explain some of the techniques we used as well as pointing out specific key parts of our film for example the match-on-action that we used. After filming the feedback I then converted the file size for it to fit into this post for our blog.

Zak Jakubowski - In this video where we recorded our feedback from the class regarding our preliminary film, my role was to answer some questions about the preliminary film along with Barney and Elijah, we would explain which techniques, various camera shots etc. we used. at one point in the film I even gave some positive criticism of my own towards our video near the end.

Elijah Potter - In this video where we recorded the feedback given from our class about our preliminary film, my task was to answer some questions to make the audience understand what was happening and get a little deeper into the film. I also explained where some of the techniques were used.

Barney Flood - Preliminary task - Self Assessment

Does your film use continuity editing so that the sequence of events are clear and easily understood by the viewer?

Yes, I am pleased with the outcome of the film and the way I edited the clips - with credit to some help from Zak. I believe that it is smooth and effective for the genre of the film.

Have you followed the directions in the brief?

We followed the majority of the brief however we did change some bits in order to fit the 180-degree rule and the shot/reverse shot. The things in which we changed and added in were better idea’s, in my opinion, which helped our preliminary reach a better standard.

Have you used match-on-action?

We have used match-on-action at the moment when Elijah opens the door and there is a slow, creaky close up on his hand as he opens it.

Can you explain what a match-on-action involves?

Match-on-action involves an action from an actor in one scene, which is then mirrored in the next seen and it can change the atmosphere of a film. For example in our film, the match-on-action is used as Elijah opens the door. It goes from a normal and casual mood with Elijah being relaxed as he is walking up to the door, to a creepier environment when he enters back into the room to see the woman.

Have you used shot/reverse shot?

Yes we have included shot/reverse briefly when Elijah first meets the woman in the classroom. They exchange quick eye-contact before Elijah makes a break for it and tries to escape her.

Can you explain what shot/reverse shot involves?

Shot reverse shot involves two camera angles, usually involving two actors for either angle. The initial shot is of one actor’s perspective looking at the other person, and then the reverse shot is from the other actor’s perspective looking back at the initial actor. This is shown in our Preliminary when our two characters first meet.

Did you observe the 180-degree rule?

We did not perform a 180-degree rule in our Preliminary; however we did not break the 180-degree rule.

Can you explain the 180-degree rule?

The 180-degree rule is when two characters are in a scene, perhaps one being on the left of the scene and one on the right side. The camera angle will break the 180-degree rule if the people in the scene were seen to swap positions and appear in a different place in the film. For example Elijah was always seen standing by the door when he first see’s the woman which is observing the 180-degree rule.

What role did you play in the making of the preliminary task?

In the making of the Preliminary task, I had the job of being the camera man. I shot all of the clips in the film and then uploaded them to Adobe Premier Pro. As well as filming the scenes, I converted them into files suited for editing and I then edited all of the film. Zak did help me in making decisions for some of the editing and we both together decided what worked well in the film.

How would you assess your contribution to the group?

I thing I contributed a lot to the group as I believe that the editing was very successful and the video footage was also quite good. I am thankful to have had Zak helping me with the editing and I believe he also made a big contribution to our group not only with his part in editing, but his directing when we were shooting the clips also. The final contribution to the group was Elijah and he helped make our Preliminary successful with his acting skills and brainstorming in coming up with key idea’s for the film. All in all, I am very pleased to be part of the team and enjoyed working on this Preliminary film.

What have you learned from the process of making your preliminary film?

In the process of creating our Preliminary film I have learned that organisation and planning will enable us to have a better end product in the future. I have a lot of confidence in our group and am looking forward to working on the main task together with the boys soon.

Preliminary task Evaluation

Does your film use continuity editing so that the sequence of events are clear and easily understood by the viewer? Yes, my group did a great job with the editing as we did not have any issues with it, with credit to Barney Flood, the editing techniques we used flowed smoothly and effectively, avoiding confusion and keeping the events clear and easy to understand. · Have you followed the directions in the brief? (A character opens a door, crosses a room and sits down in a chair opposite another character. An exchange of dialogue occurs.) We didn't follow the directions in the brief, in fact, we changed it around keeping in mind that we had to use match-on-action, shot reverse shot and also keep in mind about the 180 degree rule. · Have you used match-on-action? Yes, we used the match-on-action on the light switch, when the main character turns the light on. We also did it with the opening of the door. .Can you explain what a match-on action involves? It is when one shot takes place, which then cuts to a different shot, which shows the same action as the first shot, portraying a sense of continuity · Have you used shot/reverse shot? We used shot/reverse shot when The Woman appears on the chair and spins around, which goes from the main character to The Woman back to the main character again. · Can you explain what shot/reverse shot involves? Its when a character looks at someone or something, then the shot changes to the point of view of the object or the person that is being looked at, back towards the observer again. Did you observe the 180-degree rule? We did not use the 180-degree rule simply because we did not need it as there was no conversation used. · Can you explain the 180-degree rule? It is when two people are in a shot at a table for example, and the camera can only be shot from one side, to prevent people from becoming confused. If you imagine a circle, and you record from the other side (going over 180 degrees) the people within the scene will seem to be at the opposite side as they did originally, hence why it is called the 180 degree rule. · What role did you play in the making of the preliminary task? (e.g. filming, acting, editing, equipment organisation etc.) I was the actor. · How would you assess your contribution to the group? I think that i did a good job at contributing to the task with my partners, being flexible enough to adjust to the different shot types and angles, as well as being the camera model for the provided pictures. I performed well with the acting and flowed well with the group, keeping our potential as high as it can be. Although i did make slight mistakes whilst recording, i can only learn from them and improve as much as i can in order to achieve even more than i have been able to achieve now. · What have you learned from the process of making your preliminary film? I have learned how vital planning is, making a personal target of mine to become more organised.

preliminary task evaluation

The video does have continuous editing through out so the viewer doesn't feel lost or confused about what is happening in each scene, I have eliminated any confusion by using various transitions between each scene along with non-diegetic music to emphasise the change of mood. Yes I have followed the directions in the brief, understandably there were some minor adjustments but none to significant that would effect the spine of the brief in the video. I used match-on-action in two scenes when the actor turns the light switch on and then the room he is in is light up, in the next scene the room remains light up. A match-on-action involves an action performed by an actor in one scene that is mirrored in the next shot. I have used shot reverse shot when the two actors finally catch sight of each other and the camera looks at actor B from actor A's perspective and the same shot happens from actor B's perspective. Shot reverse shot is when one character is shown looking at another character and then the other character is shown looking back at the first character. I did no utilise the 180 degree role in my film but I can describe it as a shot which shows a relationship between two characters from side on with both of the characters in the scene, the rule of it is that the shot is not taken from the other side of the two characters being filmed so if you imagine the characters are in a circle then the camera can only film from one half of the circle hence the name 180 degree rule. Also the 180 degree rule is there to ensure there is no confusion on which person is saying what because if the camera abused the 180 degree rule then the people speaking would switch places ad the viewers could get lost with who is saying what. In the preliminary my role was director along with editor but I shared the editing role with barney flood. I would assess my contribution to the group as above satisfactory as I played to and was successful in getting all of the shots needed for the end product without fail, I also contributed well with barney flood to make sure that every scene gelled and had a consistent genre of thriller. What I have learned from making the preliminary is that all of the planning before actually filming each scene plays a big part because while I was setting up for each scene I would refer back to my plans to make sure we got it right and without the plan I would have been clueless as to what scene to do next. If you put the effort in at the start then it pays off in the long run.

The Woman Preliminary Film

Group Roles

Barney Flood - In the final product of our preliminary, I was the camera man for all of the clips in 'The Woman'. As well as recording the film, I then uploaded the clips onto Premier Pro so that the film could be put together scene by scene. Once uploaded to Premier Pro I did most of the editing, from transitions between each scene to adding music to the video. Zak helped me edit the video and together we decided on what things to do to the film, to improve it and we decided what effects worked better to fit the film's genre. Once the video was completed, as a group we uploaded the video to our YouTube account and we then shared the film in this post here, to be shown on our blog.

Elijah Potter - As you can see, i was the main character of the final product of or preliminary film, i acted solely towards our plot, making sure each scene was done correctly. I followed orders by both Zak and Barney, who both gave a range of ideas in order to achieve higher potential. Once done, i watched how Barney did the editing, since doing things like that isn't really my strong point, Zak helped Barney, and they both explained how editing is done, which made things a little easier for me to understand.

Zak Jakubowski - my role in the group was to direct the preliminary film, I made the vital decisions regarding where to take each shot and how long to take them for, guiding the camera man (Barney). I also showed the actor what I wanted him to do in each scene, not because I didn't think he wasn't capable because he is a brilliant actor, I just wanted to try and portray the vision I had in my head of each scene through his acting. I had another role to play in the making of the film when I assisted Barney with the editing, helping him make decisions on what music to use, which transitions to put where, it was a small part to pay but I assisted him none the less. the final role we did as a group was upload our video to YouTube and then share the video on our blog.

Preliminary Pitch Feedback

When we delivered our pitch to the class, we were asked a few questions about our Preliminary idea. These questions and our responses are shown here:

Why is Lucy sitting down?
She is sitting down to show her vulnerability. Her positioning makes her seem weak and unable to protect herself, which is the complete opposite of how she is meant to be presented. We wanted her to seem like this, not only to create tension, but to also introduce an enigma, as after a while she proves to be a threat to the main character.

Have you done any research into your genre of film?
Yes. We've watched various thrillers and horrors, such as Sixth Sense, to obtain various techniques that they've used, such as the canted angle to present disruption. Doing this should give the audience the right idea of our genre, as our sufficient research has helped us significantly.

How are you going to show that it's the evening?
This was a problem, as we had to record during the school hours. But, with permission, we were allowed to stay after school hours, and record the required scene during the time when it was a little darker. This allowed us to record during the evening, setting the scene effectively.


Our group roles for the delivery of the pitch are stated in the post showing our preliminary pitch.

Preliminary Task Storyboard

Group Roles 

Elijah Potter -For the storyboard, i was the "model" for the pictures that were taken,i co-operated well, being able to take pictures effectively. I also contributed with the writing of the storyboard.

Barney Flood - For the storyboard of our preliminary, I took seven of the twelve shots used for each scene. I positioned the camera in the correct angle for each shot and told Lucy and Elijah what to do for the seven shots that I took.

Zak Jakubowski - in the making of the storyboard I took 5 of the 12 camera shots that were used for each scene. I also contributed towards the writing of the storyboard, my main role was directing each shot. I would   tell the camera man where to position the camera and also make sure the actors were positioned correctly in each scene.

Preliminary Pitch



Preliminary Pitch

The Woman

Genre

Paranormal Horror

Location

T-Block, Howard School

Time

Late afternoon/early evening

Characters

Elijah – School Teacher

Lucy – Possessed woman

Plot

Elijah has been working late on this day. He leaves his room to go home and forgets his bag so returns to collect it – not knowing that the woman is waiting for him. Once he encounters the woman all he wants to do is escape from her and to get home, but she will not let him go easily, and wants him dead.

Key Camera angles + techniques used

·        Canted angle – to create an eerie and creepy effect.

·        Shot reverse shot – to show the relationship between the two characters.

·        Extreme close up – to show key features of our film, showing a paranormal sense.

·        Hand held effect – to create a more lifelike effect to a paranormal feel for the film. 

·        Deep music played quietly throughout – becomes louder when something is about to happen. 

·        180 degree rule - used to show an interaction between our two characters.

·        Match on action - to show a change in the scene, in our film we used the turn of the door handle.

Mise en scene

·        Chairs

·        Light switch

·        Door handle

·        Table

·        Bag




Group Roles

Barney Flood - I was the writer of the Pitch. However we all came together in completing it, bringing different and very good ideas together to create our result preliminary pitch. I then presented the majority of it to our class and helped answer questions along with Elijah and Zak once we had finished presenting.

Zak Jakubowski - I am the director so I had the sole idea of the film regarding the plot. Also I brainstormed ideas with the rest of group on what camera shots we could use for each scene in our preliminary film. My main role in the delivery of the pitch was to explain the plot. I also helped Barney and Elijah answer any questions that were asked by the audience we were pitching to.

Elijah Potter - I contributed by helping Barney with creating the plot by giving him ideas, i also gave my views about what would work well and what wouldn't. During the time our plot was being presented, i answered some questions, allowing the audiences to gain more of an understanding.