What I have learnt so far.

When we were creating this preliminary project I learnt a great deal of new skills and techniques. I got to use high quality video cameras and editing equipment. I had used editing tools before but not as advanced as Pinnacle Studios.
Our planning of the film didn't run as smoothly as we thought. Even before we had started filming there was a problem with our location. Originally we wanted to film it in my house and have a match on action shot with someone going into a loft. Time constraints restricted us from doing it at my house. Our plot was a simple 'girl finds a mysterious box and shows her friend, then they open it together'. The audience on the other hand do not know what is in the box. We wanted to have a cliffhanger for effect. Also  when we opened the box we wanted to have lights coming out of the box so it would give the effect of the light shining on their faces. However we didn't have the right equipment so we left this out.

When we started filming I found it enjoyable and I liked using the video camera. I found that all our filming went according to plan and the movie techniques that we had to include were not hard to implement.

After we finished the filming we had to upload it and edit it in pinnacle studios. This was a new program for me but i soon got the hang of it and was cutting and editing in no time. We edited all the clips together and added transitions where necessary. We also cut the ends of the 180 degrees shot so it would run smoothly.

I thoroughly enjoyed filming this short movie and am looking forward to be doing my two minutes opening film.

Our short film.

Why are storyboards and planning important?

Story boards tell a story of a scene shot by shot, like a comic book. Story boards show what character is in each frame and if there is any dialogue between them also if the camera is close of far away from the scene.

Story boards are important as they show what everyone is doing in each frame. Also you can change your mind about a frame and just do it again without wasting time changing it whilst you are filming. People can also give you feedback about the work before it is filmed. All this helps with the filing and makes it easier to know exactly what you are doing.

Planning is important as it means everything is ready when it comes to filming. Poor planning will mean that it will take longer to shoot a movie and everyone in the movie will not be aware of what they are supposed to do. Planning can mean writing the script and making sure the characters know their lines. Also completing the storyboards and having the right camera for each shot. All these things can determine how well the movie will turn out

why I chose A-level media studies.

I decided to take a level media studies because I have a great interest in the media. I enjoy watching films and television shows, but I also take pleasure in analysing them and working out why a certain type of music is used for a certain actor or scene. Also have an interest in seeing how lighting is used in effective ways. I particulary like seeing how TV and film have changed through history, how the animation has improved how the quality of the film has increased ect. I try to watch the news regularly to find out what is happening all around the world. I have an open mind about media and by studying this subject in more depth I will gain skills in writing, moviemaking and analysing.