Evaluation of filming session!!!

For this unit of work we were given a task to create an opening scene for a card games thriller. This tasked involved 5 members of my group, who brought creativity and initiative to the work. Working as a group allowed us to produce a 2 minute opening thriller. In this task we had the opportunity to use our creative ideas, so as a group we decided to based our games thriller on a private betting between two guys and a mysterious character with a briefcase, which at the end turns ugly, as the two men who were betting came across a complication with who had won the money, so the ending showed a violent scene between the two characters.

In this task it allowed us as a group to use our imagination and knowledge, we had been taught by Tony and Andrew during the media lessons we had. Like the different types of shots and angles, also knowing the health and safety procedures when filming. So having the knowledge of shots allowed my group to make a successful games thriller. For example at the beginning of the scene of the film, we had a long shot of a blurred out character holding a suitcase in the hall way, then gradually zooming into the brief case as the character became more focused. I think the shots and steady filming we had done helped create suspense. However during this task we had scenes where the shots didn’t work, like the ending scene, where one of the men runs out with money. In this shot we decided to hand hold the camera to create movement, but it made the shot look really messy. But overall I think the usage of the camera was successful also using the types of shot like the panning and tracking was used very well.

During the editing process I did not work with my filming group because Tony had decided that there were too many people in that group I worked with, so I joined Aiko groups which has Dominique, Shanice and Pete. So when editing with my new group I found their shots of their games thriller interesting because they had a different prospective in the filming than the group I was with. They used shots we didn’t use as much as they did like the low angle shots. Furthermore the editing process was interesting as we all got too take turns in editing the shots, like match cutting scenes to make it flow. My group also used affects like slow motion, to create thriller. In the editing we showed flash backs and future happening in which made the film more appealing. In general I think the editing went well because the film made sense also it created suspense, which a thriller film needs.

I think mise en scene was one of the important elements in making a film thriller, because knowing the right location, prompts, customs’ and sound makes a film successful in whatever genre. In the case of the games thriller I think my group used the mise en scene very well, because the used of props like the brief case created suspense. Also choosing the location and scenery was really important, I think the mise en scene challenged me and my group because placing and setting a scene to create atmospheric scenery was hard because we had to think carefully. So I personally think this task helped me learn things I didn’t know about mise en scene I did not know before.

I believe my group managed to create suspense and humour into this film, for example the scene where the two guys were fighting over the briefcase brought humour to the audience because it was unexpected. We also had scene like the shot the brief case which was mysterious and brought in suspense.

When film making me and my group ,forgot several rules like the five second rule before and after shots, also to stop talking in between shots, so you cannot hear anyone’s voices when playing the shot back. But I personally think this is a learning process/experience were we can learn from, so I truly enjoyed this task, working with two different groups, in editing and filming which made it extra helpful and fun because you had a different view in filming and editing. Also I enjoyed hearing the feedbacks from the class about the work both groups I had worked with produced. So this task is a thumb up!!!