7) Looking back at your preliminary task (the continuity editing task), what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to full product?

Through the making of my opening sequence I feel like I have learnt a lot. I have learnt about different shot types and editing techniques, and I have learnt how to operate a lot of technology and programmes on the computer. In our theory lessons we were taught about different types of camera shots, such as the long shot, close up and establishing shot. I used a lot of this knowledge in my opening sequence. Here are some shots I included:

I was also taught about editing techniques such as match on action. This is a shot where continuity of an action is shown. I included this into our opening sequence as well as using editing such as ‘fade to black’ on Adobe Premiere. Another editing technique we used was the 180 degree rule; this is a very important continuity technique that is to be used when two people are having a conversation at a table. When filming the conversation the camera is not allowed to go past a line through the two people having a conversation because it would make them look like they cross positions, that technique was used on the shot reverse shot that is shown above. Here is our match on action shot:

I feel like the making of our opening sequence has taught me a lot overall, I am confident at using the programmes such as Adobe Premiere and Windows Movie Maker and feel like I have learnt how to edit a sequence successfully. I also feel confident with being able to shoot a sequence using a different range of camera shots, and transitions further on. I am happy with my over all opening sequence.
Once I had finished the prelim video I looked back on it and made a note of everything I thought could be improved in the future. Making an opening sequence was my way of showing that I could improve. I noticed that in the filming of the prelim we didn't use a microphone, we only used the mic that was built into the camera and this picked up on a lot of the background noises like cars and wind. I improved on this in my opening sequence because I used a separate microphone that is designed to not pic up these background noises and it did work.
I also noticed in my prelim that when filming someone, they wore a different outfit as we filmed in the space of a few weeks. This showed really bad continuity because in the video it was meant to be the same day but the character was miraculously wearing a different outfit. In my opening sequence I took much extra care when filming that I was always wearing the same clothes so that we didn't have this problem again.