Evaluation task 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?

Our finished preliminary task proved to be quite difficult and looked incredibly amateur. In this task we explored the 3 continuity principles which are the 180 degree rule, match on action and shot/reverse shot. However, we had some continuity errors that wouldn't have been done if we had had more knowledge on filming and editing. For example, when Sophie showed me her phone in one of the shots and in the next shot she didn't have her phone. Which meant we had to edit it so that the clip when she is taking the phone out is replayed but backwards so that it looked like she was putting the phone away, and this then messed up the diagetic sound.

When planning and editing our opening sequence, we made a more thorough story board so that we knew where each shot was. Even though our story board was not followed exactly due to limitations that we had, it still gave us a basic idea and we made sure to take a huge variety of shots of different angles so that no continuity errors were made. For example, in the scene when the stalker walks into basement, we took extreme care as the shot changed from a close up of his shoes to a high angle shot of him still walking in. We had to look carefully at where he had stepped and where he hadn't stepped so that it flowed smoothly and did not look like it had been shot twice. The only scene that could look like a continuity error, is the scene in the church where he is looking at her from one angle and then he is suddenly on the floor on another angle, but this was done purposely to suggest that his mind has twitches that highlight his mental disability and to create ambiguity for the viewer.

It was also a lot easier to add sound on top of the clip when editing instead of using the natural diagetic sound that was there when filming. We did this because of the trouble we had had with the diagetic sound in the preliminary task; in our opening sequence we took the same track that was playing in the church (piano ave maria) and edited it on afterwards so that we were able to fast forward and slow down clips without it being affected.

Match on action was shown in the preliminary task when Sophie walked through the door but we were not shown how she opens or closes the door behind her. The audience instantly assumes she's done that and that is why she is walking through the door. The intention is shown but I think we could have cut out more of her walking past the door so that it was more fast paced.





One of the times we showed match on action in our opening sequence was when Sammie is shown walking into the church and in the next shot she is already sitting down in the church and the stalker is now walking in himself. The viewer does not need to see her walk all the way to the seat because it is not necessary, or the stalker walk all the way to the door. This meant the video had a faster pace and it did not drag.




In our preliminary task we showed the shot reverse shot when the two characters were speaking as well as using the over the shoulder shot. This was very effective because it was clear who was speaking and even though the transitions were not quick enough, the shot worked.




Even though we did not use the shot reverse shot in our opening sequence, we used the over the shoulder shot when the stalker is looking at his board. This is effective because the focus is on the board while he is blurred and this makes the viewer concentrate on the mise- en- scene. In our storyboard we had a shot reverse shot as the camera showed his face at the end looking at the board but we chose to not use this shot because it created suspense and the stalker was left unknown for the viewer.

The 180 degree rule was conserved in our preliminary task when Sophie walked in and sat to have a conversation with me. The other side where she walked in from was never shown, so this was done successfully.






Likewise, in the opening sequence always followed the 180 degree rule, even in the point of view shots. An example is in the basement when you don't see where the stalker has come in from. So this again, was successful in this task as well.







Over all, our opening sequence was a lot better than our preliminary task as our continuity was smoother and the editing was more accurate. We used jump cuts instead of longer transition to fasten up the pace and we also used a larger variety of angles such as the high angle or the low angle shots, as well as the point of view shots and long and close up shots. We also manipulated the pace by making some parts in slow motion or in fast motion and thought more about the mise- en-scene so that we could emphasise what our genre was. The quality was a lot clearer as well with the use of a better camera and with the bad experiences we had with the preliminary task we were able to avoid them in our final sequence.