From my preliminary task to my final film has been a long process where i have learnt and improved a number of skills when filming and editing my film Foursquare.
Pre Production.
When filming our preliminary task we created a jelly baby animatic of the type of shots we were using. We found the animatic quite hard to create and our editing skills were not as good as they are now. We couldn't put the jelly babies in the exact spots that we wanted to so we lost accuracy and meaning of our shots. However, when creating a storyboard of our Thriller Foursquare, we used a variety of shots and our animatic was smooth and fit well together. We thought carefully about the type of shots we were using and made sure we had a wide range of shots included in our storyboard so it was clear when we would start filming. Being able to draw the shots directly meant that it would become more visual and we could draw our shots exactly how we wanted. We used sites like Art of the Title Sequence and YouTube clips of Thrillers for some influence and inspiration. The storyboard and animatic are very important in the process of filming to we made sure it was of a high quality as it is the guide lines we were following when filming our thriller.Production.
When producing our Preliminary film it was all quite rushed and unorganised. We didn't have our story board with us and we didn't think properly about the mise en scene of our clip. Here in this clip is a screen grab of the opening of our preliminary. The titles are bright red and look unprofessional as there are three full stops after them. We used very basic editing in this shot. The camera angle is quite tilted and the mise en scene of the window is limited and wasn't effective.
We didn't fully understand how to position our camera on the tripod properly so the shot looks unprofessional and messy. However in our thriller film we learned a number number of skills that would help us creating better footage. First of all our shot is filmed in focus and we really thought about the mise en scene and purpose of this shot. This is an establishing shot and we chose to shoot it on the roof so we would have a wider range of footage and a shot that really sets the scene. During editing we were also able to add an effect on this shot, whereby the building are smudged and a little blurred which builds tension and suspense. This is also a point of view shot so we know that we are looking out of the eyes of a character, and positioning them about represents their status and authority in the film just by the opening shot.
In this shot of Sifan, the camera is slightly out of focus. This is from our preliminary film, The Wait. There are no effects on the shot and like the other one the mise en scene is limited and it wasn't effective. We tried to set the scene however we didn't think about it properly as he is by a window and it is unclear where the character is located. Also, we didn't think about costume at all, so his casual clothes do not represent very much or say anything about the character. However, in this screen grab of from our Thriller we have used effects on Final Cut Pro to merge two images together to create suspense and build tension. We learned this editing skill and applied it to our Thriller because it makes the footage more interesting and intense. Also, our shots are very well done. We have the character looking our into the scenery from the top of the roof from two different views, which shows our variety of shots. We made sure we shot the same thing from several different angles to create variety and speed up and footage to not make it boring. Also we thought about the costume and body language of our character, He is dressed in all back to represent he is the Protagonist and main character of the film. This also represents he is dominant and not a pleasant characters because black has negative connotations. He is standing still and confident which shows he is in control of the action. There were all skills we learnt to represent on camera through the progression of our filming process. 
This shot from our preliminary film is meant to be a two shot. the shot slightly titled and the lighting is too harsh. Also the ND Filter is on so the shot came out much too bright whereby some objects weren't visible and it doesn't look good on the big screen. Also, the characters cant be seen very well and it is shot from a high angle, signifying that they are vulnerable. when they are not. We learned how the angle of a shot can change the way a character is meant to be represented therefore this two shot should have been from a level angle, signifying the characters are of an equal status. The four split shot of our characters is used to represent all the girls equally going on their daily routine. This was a skill we learnt, whereby we edited the footage one on top of the other and changed the size of each clip, making the effect of the action happening simultaneously. We thought about the mise en scene in great detail here, each girl is located in a different space, train station, house, restaurant and a park. We wanted to create great variety and show that there girls live very different lives. The music at this part was orchestral and suspenseful, which we edited using Soundtrack Pro, we wanted it to match the Psychological themes of our thriller. Also we thought about props in this shot, like the mascara is an essential item that represents femininity which is the effect we were trying to give off. Showing these girls simultaneously shows they are all the protagonists and victims of the main character who we shot earlier.
Teamwork!
Working closely with my group enabled us to build on our team work skills. Working together to produce an effective film is all about listening to each other, understanding each other and being able to trust each other. We learned to organise ourselves properly, so everyday when filming we would make a list of the props we needed, keep a production schedule on us and to ensure we had our story board and that the characters (us) are dressed accordingly. We also had to make a few phone calls to secure our locations and find a decent meeting time where we would all be available to work. We also had lots of fun making our film, we had to rely on one another to make sure we were all individually prepared for filming and that we would all put in effort and time to work together. We also had to make sure we listened well inc lass to learn new skills and apply them to our thriller. Working as a team meant that we would trust each other with the equipment and put all our ideas into editing and filming Foursquare. We made sure we met up often and did things together so that everyone would have equal input and that we would all do well in the subject. I thoroughly enjoyed working with my group and I feel that putting all our ideas together and building a friendship really did help us to get along and make a good thriller opening.
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