The members in my group include Leo Ly and Samara Stevenson. The purpose of the preliminary task is to help us in gaining an understanding of the various types of camera shots and angles we can use as well as how to use the camera, this is so that when we go to make our opening sequence we know how to use the equipment. We had to film two people walking into a room and sitting down, they then had to have a conversation before getting up and leaving. The conversation could be based on any scenario we wanted and so my group chose to talk about someone with a drug addiction also, our clip had to be under a minute long. Furthermore, we used final cut pro to edit the clip together, combining the different types of shots used however, my group didn't use any transitions or special effects.
Mid Shot
The different camera techniques we had to use included; mid shot, long shot, panning and a over the shoulder shot. To set up the mid shot we did not use a tripod and instead we held the camera ourselves, compared to the panning and over the shoulder shot, as we used a tripod to set up these shots. This is because it is easier to use a tripod for a panning shot as you can then use the handle on the tripod to move the camera round and with the long shot it is easier to use the tripod to keep the camera straight and to make sure you are getting everyone and everything in the shot. As well as this we didn't use a tripod for the over the shoulder the shot however, it would of been better if we did because then we would of been able to make this part of the scene more clear and the image less jerky. These camera angles are conventional to the thriller genre and they are used to show facial expressions as well as body language.
Panning
I think me and my group did particularly well in the use of the over the shoulder shot as well as the close up this is because you can clearly see the persons facial expressions while they explain what they are going through. We also done well in the use of a close up as we used the tripod to set the camera up on and then used the zoom on the camera.
Over The Shoulder Shot
However, I think my group struggled with the use of the editing software this is because it was all our first time using any type of editing software and so it took us time to learn how to use and understand it. Additionally, we also struggled with adjusting the height of he tripod for when we was using different shots as well as this we struggled with keeping the camera steady when we was not using the tripod this meant that our footage was very shaky.
Long Shot
To solve this before filming our opening thriller sequence my group and me can learn how to properly set up the tripod and adjust it as well as making sure the camera is always attached to the tripod to endure that our footage is not shaky or rigid. Moreover, I feel that if we was to of had more time to film our preliminary task then we would of had a longer time experimenting with the camera and tripod, learning how to use it.
From watching my groups footage back my group and me where able to identify the mistakes we made during filming. Such as at certain points during the clip, the camera is slightly tilted as we had not set up the tripod correctly. This affected the overall outlook of the clip however, we did not notice it until editing on the computer and so we had no time left to re-record this camera shot. As a result without watching our clip back properly on the computer we would not have noticed these mistakes made during filming.
To conclude, by carrying out the preliminary task it has helped in preparing for our opening thriller sequence as me and my group will now know how to properly use the camera and tripod when we start filming our opening thriller sequence. This will mean that as a group we will not waste time learning how to set up the camera as we will already know how to do this. As well as this we know how to now use the editing software, final cur pro and so we will be able to successfully edit our opening sequence and include transitions to make the overall look of the sequence more smooth and look less edited and more realistic. Also, it will help in cutting out any mistakes we might make in our filming. Moreover, when filming our opening thriller sequence we need to ensure that we have correctly set up the tripod and camera before filming and that everyone in the group knows their role and what they are doing. Also, we know that we should use the tripod for each shot and it makes the overall look of the shot much more professional and keeps the camera steady, unless you want the shot to be unsteady of effect. Moreover, i learned how different shots are used to create different effects for example, a close up would be used to show the characters facial expressions and hidden emotions.
