MOVIESCOPE Front Cover Analysis

EMPIRE Magazine Front Cover Analysis

Preliminary Task

In this task I practiced the 180 degree rule and shot-reverse-shot. Unfortunately to get the right height for the shot I couldn't use the tripod and so instead did it handheld, which explains why it is a bit shaky. I aimed to not show the secondary character for as long as possible so as to give her introduction more gusto, however it made the editing a bit nonsensical. All in all I have learnt from this task and how to improve my filming and editing techniques.

Final Product

Evaluation Question 6:

6. What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this film opening?

       From the practise in the preliminary task, we already knew how to roughly use the camera and tripod. However, when trying to produce a slicker film, we encountered some problems with the equipment. For example when attempting to pan or track the camera, we realised we could not get a smooth shot as we always discovered a shaky effect when reviewing the footage. After regrouping, we managed to cut and reshoot some shots in order to give our film a smoother look.


       We also tried to use a variety of lights to intensify out shots. However when using them we realised that they were too unnatural to use and we also struggled with coordinating them with the power packs, therefore most of the time they ran out of battery on set.

       Generally, using the filming technology such as the camera and lights proved fairly challenging, as no one in our group was specifically talented at understanding the different technologies. However once we read every single on the equipment before shooting, we learnt how to effectively use the equipment to the best of our ability.

       As we had all used macs before, and one member of our group was doing a computing AS level, using that technology was not difficult. However none of us had used final cut pro before to edit our film, other than a brief rough cut of our preliminary, in which we barely had to know about the software. When editing the final piece, we learnt how to use various tools and effects in editing, such as using filters, slowing down footage, inserting titles and overlaying music. This proved the most challenging of all the technologies, as whilst editing the final cut pro would regularly shut down, though our work was saved. Finally we managed to use final cut pro and the majority of its tools to produce our final piece, overcoming our issues with the technology.

Evaluation Question 5

How did you attract/address your audience?

Evaluation Question 7:

 7. Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression of it to the final product?
Initially it is clear that the better one plans and prepares (e.g. shotlists and storyboarding) for a film shoot, the smoother and quicker the experience will be. I have slowly got to grips with setting up and balancing the tripod, as well as learning the basic functions of the video camera and equipment I previously had no idea about, such as the the microtrack. Furthermore I am now able to utilise footage on Final Cut Pro, using the editing tools to form a linear video.
Filming-wise, I have greater appreciation for the way in which film makers and camera men must meticulously plan camera movement and plan to take surplus shots, so that choice is available at the editing stage. I can now incorporate match-on-action, shot-reverse-shots, zooms, pans and tracking shots into my camera work.

Furthermore I have learnt to animate story boards and incorporate dialogue into the film using a micro-track.