Thursday 7 April 2016

CIE EVALUATION Q3 DEVELOPMENT OF PRODUCTION SKILLS

you can find more on the Evaluation overall in this hub post.

CIE Q3
HOW DID YOUR PRODUCTION SKILLS DEVELOP THROUGHOUT THIS PROJECT?
See this post for a list of points you can consider, and also a suggested framework.
This is quite similar to the UK Q7 - have a look at Kate's answer  or Curtis' (both a plain blog post). Molly's was very thorough and more multimedia - here's her 3-part answer:



Tilly, who reflects here on having delivered an unsatisfactory AS production (she produced a new film and blog the following year), provided vodcast and well presented transcript; this may inspire you - its a simple but effective way to achieve most of the filming required, a fairly easy job to later edit in screenshots and clips etc


More guidance below the line...

IN BRIEF:
Identify the exercises you did.
Break down the steps and learning involved in each - be VERY specific;

EXAMPLES OF SPECIFIC LEARNING STEPS (always illustrate the point):
  • 1st time I used x camera
  • we shot handheld
  • we had lots of panning and tracking shots
  • 1st time I used a tripod - bgan to focus on framing more
  • the footage was very shakey
  • I used the DSLR auto settings
  • I used x manual controls (eg we found x issue with the auto focus and action shots; here's a comparison with manual)
  • I tried swapping the lens (these are the different shots/results...)
  • I used the GoPro and x accessories, such as x, because (fisheye/wide-angled lens; portability; action shots...)
  • I tried out the greenscreen (I set it up by...; here are the results)
  • I used TWO cameras
  • we used a basic shot list
  • we had detailed storyboards
  • we did an animatic
  • we/I did a pitch
  • we/I did a re-pitch
  • we did a moodboard to represent the core/primary target audience, and considered audience in depth for all choices 
  • we had a questionnaire to test out our ideas on audience
  • we researched the genre and its audience, sampling film openings and budgets, box office and marketing; reading up theories like Mulvey's male gaze and the Gant Rule
  • we looked at micro-detail x [eg titles; editing to signify protagonist; idents ...] in several films
  • we thought more about a wider secondary audience
  • we included intertextual references (or other postmodern elements) to widen our audience
  • we considered theories like the uses and gratifications model whilst planning
  • we considered narrative theories, specifically...
  • having previously considered narrative theory x we took a more sophitsicated approach by ...
  • we constructed our own props
  • we used a detailed call sheet and delegated clear roles
  • we shot a lot of coverage, shooting everything multiple times; looked for useful cutaway shots and interesting framing opportunites
  • we relied on natural lighting 
  • we shot at night and found...
  • we experimented with lighting
  • we researched costume + props, ordering x items online
  • we rehearsed our cast
  • we gave cast detailed instructions on clothing and look
  • we applied make-up or visual FX
  • we did a sample shoot
  • we went location scouting and took practice footage to test out our ideas
  • we sought out audience feedback 
  • we did this via social media
  • we did re-shoots after seeking feedback
  • we found issues with sound
  • we used an external mic
  • we recorded replacement sound ... and over-dubbed this (including ambient sound?)
  • we developed a screenplay 
  • we revised the screenplay, cutting down on the dialogue
  • we used mise-en-scene more for exposition
  • for titles we experimented with multiple fonts and FCPX effects
  • we downloaded a font and installed it on a Mac
  • we combined actual industry names with our own for titles, which had a very specific order and use of language, reflecting concepts such as the auteur theory...
  • we created idents
Remember that research + planning is part of this

CHOICE: either work through production by production and outline your production steps, looking to emphasize the growing sophistication or complexity of these as you build up to the main film opening OR break down into themes e.g. researching conventions, genre, institution + audience; location scouting; sample shoots/scenes; SFX; camera, tripod (all filming kit, including sound, greenscreen etc) ...

ILLUSTRATIONS/EXAMPLES: Clips, screenshots, hyperlinks - screenshots of blog posts and links lists are likely to be useful. A vodcast or prezi?

PRE-, MAIN AND POST-PRODUCTION
Pre-production is the planning stage: researching and deciding on cast, location, costume, props; the script; storyboarding/animatic; call sheets/shot lists; sample shoots; defining the target audience; audience and other research.
Production is the main filming stage.
Post-production is the editing and soundtracking, plus audience feedback.

SO: You should cover editing, but you are likely to do so in more depth in Q4 and this should not be the main focus of your response.


'JOURNEY'/DRAFTING
Show you've trialled various cuts and approaches to a sequence, or specific elements like titles:
  • recut a sequence 2+ times and add these all into a new project file, with titles between (Original; Edit A: Creepy font/earthquake effect etc)
  • recut multiply and use the transform tool to put all 2/3/4 on screen at the same time
Here's an example of a font/FX titles experiment:
...

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