Evaluation

Evaluation

Sian Thody Fd Photography 1

Having now produced our video for the video production module, I can look back and think about how or more specifically, what I would change, should I make the film again.
Our initial idea of basing our video on the titles for the television show ‘Dexter’, turned out to be out final idea for the production of our video. We all agreed we liked the style of filming of the video and also the editing used. We also liked the plot and story of the video, the simplicity of showing a man getting up, making breakfast and leaving the house. Yet it is visualized, and produced so well that it becomes so effective.

After watching the video, we then actually played it again, stopping the video each time the frame or even the angle of the camera changes, documenting this whilst we watch it. I think doing this was crucial to our video production as it shows how many times the frame changes throughout the short sequence. It would also show us how important the editing would be in our own production, and how simply we could shoot the footage as long as the editing was effective. By dissecting the video so carefully and thoroughly so early on in the project was also beneficial as it showed us just how much we would have to do after the filming of the video. Therefore I am glad we started the filming of our video so early on in the project, so that any problems or creative changes we may come across would be dealt with quickly.

The filming of the cooking sequence was very successful in my opinion. We all individually had a go at filming some shots, which I thought was important. Although we all had fairly loose roles in the production I don’t think any of us wanted a ‘director’ of the video.

I think the only thing I would change about the cooking sequence would be the cup used when we show a tea being made, It would have been much more effective if we’d have used a cafetiere or ground our own coffee beans like on the Dexter video. I also would have zoomed in more on some of the table sequences, like the cake being cut or the blood orange being squeezed. Although we were able to zoom in and edit out the background on final cut express, it would have been much less time consuming if we’d had thought about it when filming.

I feel that being able to choose our own groups this time had a positive effect on the production of the video. We knew each others strengths and weaknesses and what area each person would be best working in. I also think that our concious decision to do everything as a group, such as the filming and the editing of the video had a positive effect. It relly helped with group dynamics and created a fairness in sharing the roles. We didn’t want to feel like one person was either carrying the group or being carried by the group.

I feel my weakness in the group showed when it came to the editing of the video. I have very little experience and confidence in final cut express and as Charlotte and Corinne seemed to know exactly what they were doing, I very much took a back seat during the editing process. We did all however, give our opinions and thoughts on the editing and were all equally pleased with the results.
In my opinion, the sequence which works the best is at the end of the video, where I am walking through the underpass towrds the camera, and give a glance and a laugh towards the audience. During editing we slowed this frame right down and faded it to black. I think this works really well and I especially like the look to the camera, almost triumphantly, like I’ve eaten my meal and now I am completely satisfied!

If we were to make our video again I think I would probably change the lighting in the kitchen to a much more low-key, atmospheric light. Also, personally, I would like to have more editing confidence, I think this is hard when you have someone so talented within the group. I felt my strengths showed the most with the initial organising, showing the group the Dexter video and writing the treatment. However my weakness in editing is something I would like to work on for our next video production.

Overall I am very pleased with our final video and the way we delegated jobs and worked together as a group.