Monday, 29 June 2009
Friday 26th, Tuesday 30th June & Thursday 2nd July
We were all unable to attend these media lessons as we had a University open days and there was an induction for new sixth formers, therefore we missed 4 full lessons.
Thursday, 25 June 2009
Tuesday 23rd June
This lesson we were lucky enough to have the opportunity to talk to some of the media students from St Marks who are currently now at University studying media/ film production. We were given information about what opportunities there are when at uni, and was told which types of media we could study there. Some examples were film production, producing music videos/ advertisiments, journalism and childrens TV shows.
This was a good insight into what media studies can lead on to in the future.
The second half of this lesson we was given another task to complete next lesson which is to produce an advertisment for Rape Awareness for around our age group. We got into groups and started talking and producing storyboards about what should happen within the advert. We will start filming these next lesson on Thursday.
This was a good insight into what media studies can lead on to in the future.
The second half of this lesson we was given another task to complete next lesson which is to produce an advertisment for Rape Awareness for around our age group. We got into groups and started talking and producing storyboards about what should happen within the advert. We will start filming these next lesson on Thursday.
Tuesday, 23 June 2009
Friday 19th June
This lesson we were able to complete our editing for our 'Phone Call' films. We used the Apple Mac laptops again to do this and to add special effefcts, for example adding the title accross the screen, adding rain sound effects etc. We also cut down some of the filming so the audience would not get bored and it would not look like we just put the clips together without planning.
We had to try and make them as professional so they all look good and the audience will want to watch it. We are going to watch and review the films next lesson.
We had to try and make them as professional so they all look good and the audience will want to watch it. We are going to watch and review the films next lesson.
Thursday, 18 June 2009
Thursday 18th June
This double lesson we had to carry on shooting our 'Phone Call' film. We decided to shoot one person in a quiet house and one outside in a park to make the story more realistic. We also made the sound better than our previous film as some films were extremly 'windy', we had some diagetic sound such as birds outside which also helped make the film realistic. Overall i think we had some good shots and kept a steady hand to make the shooting clearer.
During the second half of the lesson we was able to start editing our films and slotting all of the clips togteher to make one whole film.
This half of the lesson i learnt about how to edit camera shots using the Apple Laptops and media player. This was hard to get started on but by the end i felt i had learnt a lot of new skills and am now able to use them in the future.
Next lesson we are going to carry on with editing the films and watch and analys eachothers.
During the second half of the lesson we was able to start editing our films and slotting all of the clips togteher to make one whole film.
This half of the lesson i learnt about how to edit camera shots using the Apple Laptops and media player. This was hard to get started on but by the end i felt i had learnt a lot of new skills and am now able to use them in the future.
Next lesson we are going to carry on with editing the films and watch and analys eachothers.
Tuesday 16th June
This lesson was also used to develop our skills using the video camera. We first got into groups and was given a title of 'The Phone Call' and a sheet showing us which shot types we MUST include into the film.
When during previous tasks we discovered that planning was extremely important when shooting films or still images. Therefore we planned our film shots using a storyboard.
Our group then went out to find a place which would be most suitable for our shots. We was fortunate enough to have someone who drives within our group and was therefore able to go 'further afield' to get a perfect place. We did come across some obstacles in this lesson as we wanted to find a public phone box to use to make it different to everyone elses films, but could not find a suitable one as there were too many people or had posters on the front of it etc.
Next lesson we will be filming all of our films and editing them to make them look more professional.
When during previous tasks we discovered that planning was extremely important when shooting films or still images. Therefore we planned our film shots using a storyboard.
Our group then went out to find a place which would be most suitable for our shots. We was fortunate enough to have someone who drives within our group and was therefore able to go 'further afield' to get a perfect place. We did come across some obstacles in this lesson as we wanted to find a public phone box to use to make it different to everyone elses films, but could not find a suitable one as there were too many people or had posters on the front of it etc.
Next lesson we will be filming all of our films and editing them to make them look more professional.
HOMEWORK for Friday 12th June
Overview of Films Created.
We were all set a task to create a short film that showed a ‘tour’ type video of St Marks School. Throughout the whole of this task I learnt what camera techniques worked well and what I would choose to use within another task. Also after watching all of the videos each group had created I discovered which mise en scene works best in a film like this one. For example the character choices, the setting and the types of diagetic sounds (e.g. - music in the common room of sixth form).
The first film we watched was the one my group and I took part in. We decided to create a film which was in the style of a wildlife documentary describing a new student as ‘the new cub’ and the character leading him around the school as the ‘alpha male’ as he knew what to do around the school whereas the new student didn’t. I thought this was a good way of showing how the school looks after its new students and showed the main parts around the school, and also included a bit of comedy.
Our film included some good shots cameras shots which included canted angle shot, close ups, high and low angle shots. This was so the school and characters were captured at different angles.
However there were some points which needed improvement. One of the main bad points the film had was that the cameras shots/ edits were cut too short and didn’t fit neatly together. This distracted the audience and should have been edited better. Another point was the diagetic sound in the common room; this also distracted the audience as you could not hear the characters dialogue clearly, this could have been improved by turning off the radio which was playing at the time and making sure no one else talked in the room we was filming in.
A third point which could have been improved not only on our film but also on the other two we watched, was that some of the shots were rather ‘wobbly’. To make the shot clearer and more professional would be to make use of a tripod for the camera to stand on. I am going to take this into consideration when next filming. This will then make it clearer for the audience to watch.
The second group’s film also had a good way of showing the audience around the school showing all of the major good points. They also portrayed the film as comedy type clips to connect with the target audience of teenagers. The main character used was also confident and connected with the audience well which is a main factor.
However like the other films some angles didn’t work well within the film, for example one shot was a canted shot when the characters were just walking along outside. I don’t think this shot worked well as it looked like it was just slotted in to add another camera angle. The filming was also a bit wobbly in places too like our film; this could be overcome using a tripod too.
Another bad point within this film was that there were rapid shots/ quick cuts but then long pauses. The long pauses could conclude to the audience getting bored and not listening to the film, so it needs to keep flowing to keep the attention of the audience.
The third and final film had a different sort of story; this storyline was ‘a day in the life’ of a sixth former. There were a few positive points such as a range of camera shots, but overall I think there were more bad points about this short film.
The main point was that they did not use the camera properly as the film kept cutting to other films which were also recorded on the camera by other people previously. This took the story away and got confusing as the audience did not know what was going on. Also at one point the person shooting the clip didn’t realise they were recording and was talking, this made the shot look unprofessional and was therefore one of the major bad points.
A third point was the mise en scene. In some clips the setting looked messy, such as tables wonky in the wrong places or work over the floor. Also, when filming outside the wind and other cars made it difficult for the audience to hear the dialogue.
To conclude this task we was set I have tried out and discovered the camera shots which work well together and which don’t, how long the shot should be held for before the audience get bored an to not make the cuts of the shots too quick as it doesn't work well together.
I have also found out how to improve shots and angles aswell, whether it be using a tripod or making sure the angles fit the shot well otherwise it looks wrong and out of place.
Making sure the mise en scene is as best as it can be is also a main factor because this draws the audience in, if the scene/ setting doesn’t look clean and professional the audience will not like it and will therefore be a negative factor. I will use these points in future media work when filming as this has been a big learning curve and will definitely help improve my work dramatically.
We were all set a task to create a short film that showed a ‘tour’ type video of St Marks School. Throughout the whole of this task I learnt what camera techniques worked well and what I would choose to use within another task. Also after watching all of the videos each group had created I discovered which mise en scene works best in a film like this one. For example the character choices, the setting and the types of diagetic sounds (e.g. - music in the common room of sixth form).
The first film we watched was the one my group and I took part in. We decided to create a film which was in the style of a wildlife documentary describing a new student as ‘the new cub’ and the character leading him around the school as the ‘alpha male’ as he knew what to do around the school whereas the new student didn’t. I thought this was a good way of showing how the school looks after its new students and showed the main parts around the school, and also included a bit of comedy.
Our film included some good shots cameras shots which included canted angle shot, close ups, high and low angle shots. This was so the school and characters were captured at different angles.
However there were some points which needed improvement. One of the main bad points the film had was that the cameras shots/ edits were cut too short and didn’t fit neatly together. This distracted the audience and should have been edited better. Another point was the diagetic sound in the common room; this also distracted the audience as you could not hear the characters dialogue clearly, this could have been improved by turning off the radio which was playing at the time and making sure no one else talked in the room we was filming in.
A third point which could have been improved not only on our film but also on the other two we watched, was that some of the shots were rather ‘wobbly’. To make the shot clearer and more professional would be to make use of a tripod for the camera to stand on. I am going to take this into consideration when next filming. This will then make it clearer for the audience to watch.
The second group’s film also had a good way of showing the audience around the school showing all of the major good points. They also portrayed the film as comedy type clips to connect with the target audience of teenagers. The main character used was also confident and connected with the audience well which is a main factor.
However like the other films some angles didn’t work well within the film, for example one shot was a canted shot when the characters were just walking along outside. I don’t think this shot worked well as it looked like it was just slotted in to add another camera angle. The filming was also a bit wobbly in places too like our film; this could be overcome using a tripod too.
Another bad point within this film was that there were rapid shots/ quick cuts but then long pauses. The long pauses could conclude to the audience getting bored and not listening to the film, so it needs to keep flowing to keep the attention of the audience.
The third and final film had a different sort of story; this storyline was ‘a day in the life’ of a sixth former. There were a few positive points such as a range of camera shots, but overall I think there were more bad points about this short film.
The main point was that they did not use the camera properly as the film kept cutting to other films which were also recorded on the camera by other people previously. This took the story away and got confusing as the audience did not know what was going on. Also at one point the person shooting the clip didn’t realise they were recording and was talking, this made the shot look unprofessional and was therefore one of the major bad points.
A third point was the mise en scene. In some clips the setting looked messy, such as tables wonky in the wrong places or work over the floor. Also, when filming outside the wind and other cars made it difficult for the audience to hear the dialogue.
To conclude this task we was set I have tried out and discovered the camera shots which work well together and which don’t, how long the shot should be held for before the audience get bored an to not make the cuts of the shots too quick as it doesn't work well together.
I have also found out how to improve shots and angles aswell, whether it be using a tripod or making sure the angles fit the shot well otherwise it looks wrong and out of place.
Making sure the mise en scene is as best as it can be is also a main factor because this draws the audience in, if the scene/ setting doesn’t look clean and professional the audience will not like it and will therefore be a negative factor. I will use these points in future media work when filming as this has been a big learning curve and will definitely help improve my work dramatically.
Friday 12th June
We had a single lesson today and within this lesson we watched each groups film and discovered which shots worked well together and which did not work so well and should have therefore been changed.
We listed the good and bad points in our books as we are set a homework task to write an essay analysing each film. When watching all of the films the main bad point was that either the film in the camera was not rewound which then led it to have what other people using the camera have shot which distracted the audience away from the story. Another major bad point was the fact that most people filming did not have a 'steady hand' which then made the filming 'wobbly' and unprofessional. This could be changed in the future by using a tripod to put the camera on to make it steady.
We listed the good and bad points in our books as we are set a homework task to write an essay analysing each film. When watching all of the films the main bad point was that either the film in the camera was not rewound which then led it to have what other people using the camera have shot which distracted the audience away from the story. Another major bad point was the fact that most people filming did not have a 'steady hand' which then made the filming 'wobbly' and unprofessional. This could be changed in the future by using a tripod to put the camera on to make it steady.
Thursday 11th June
This double lessoon we had to produce a 'tour like' film about St Marks school. My group decided to shoot this film as if it was like a documentary with a voice over talking the audience through whats happening. I think this was a good way of shooting this type of film as no one else did the same kind of thing when producing their own work. We described the character which we portrayed as the new student as the 'new cub' and the character playing the student showing the new person around the school as the 'alpha male' this was becayuse then the audience could tell who had been at the school longer and the 'new cub' will look up to the 'alpha male' so he will fit in.
Next lesson we will be watching the films and critisicing/ analysing them to see which shots, edits, characters and setting (mise en scene) worked well and which didnt.
Next lesson we will be watching the films and critisicing/ analysing them to see which shots, edits, characters and setting (mise en scene) worked well and which didnt.
Tuesday 9th June
This was the first lesson of A2 studies in media. In this lesson we was able to practise shooting particular shots with the video cameras. We was first put into groups and was given a camera and a clapper board to write on. We had to use this to show off our skills of which camera shots we know, for example pan, long shot, over the shoulder shot and close up etc.
We had to write on the shot type and the person shooting the scene on the clapper board so it was clearly showing what the group was trying to portray. This was a very insightful lesson and throughout i learnt how to shoot particular camera shots and which work best in films i shoot in the future.
We had to write on the shot type and the person shooting the scene on the clapper board so it was clearly showing what the group was trying to portray. This was a very insightful lesson and throughout i learnt how to shoot particular camera shots and which work best in films i shoot in the future.
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