Evaluation 7: Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression of it from a full product?

In looking back at the preliminary task I did, I can definitely say that there is a gap in terms of quality and it terms of the challenge set. When filming my preliminary task, which at the time, was at a stage when I was relatively inexperienced in terms of aspects such as camerawork and editing, especially in comparison to what I know now. During the construction of my preliminary task, I would only have been able to name a few basic shots (mid shot and close-up) and was only just beginning to get to grips with the process of editing, as it was something I never done before. However, since then, through the use of the editing software of Final Cut Pro on the Macs, I feel I now have a much better understanding of what editing involves and the factors that you have to take into consideration regarding it. Looking back at the preliminary task, I was not aware that the factor of time had such an importance regarding editing. However, through the use of editing software first hand, I now realize this is vital. For example, during the filming of the preliminary task, we had to film a door for a number of seconds prior to it entering and closing to allow for the editing to be easier. At the time, I was aware fully of the importance of this, but now I understand it. This is down to a gradual build of knowledge that the use of the Final Cut Pro has given me.

I have also learnt a lot in terms of the camerawork. Looking back on my preliminary task, I can realize that I made mistakes or didn't take into consideration factors that I would do now or that I did with my final product. For example, since the preliminary task, I have learnt more about position of characters within the frame, as well as effects of the position of the camera, and what this can connote about the characters involved. Looking back I notice that I did not take factors such as these into consideration and so most of shots were just in the centre, as there was not much innovation. As a result, me and Xiangyu wanted ended up using a far greater variety of shots, which improved the quality of our film, and did not make it seem as repetitive as it could have been.