Production Diary - Week 27

I finally managed to get all my filming completed for my production, which allowed me to move on to the editing process of my film. Using Adobe Premiere Pro wasn't as difficult after I had already completed the editing process with my camera test. However, for my actual film it became much harder as I had to try and edit out the small errors to make it flow better. In addition, with the camera test there was hardly any editing as it each clip wasn't an issue as it was only showing the different camera techniques and shots. By the end of next week, I am hoping for the editing process to be complete, so I can upload it onto my blog.

Production Diary - Week 26

This week, I have created my Camera Test, which I will be using as my preliminary task for my coursework. The camera test involved multiple angles by which I will have used/been using in my film, such as zooming, cut and mid-shot. This was a useful task to carry out, as it helped me learn how to use the camera as well as learn how to use the software that I will use for my film, Premiere Pro.

I also created a powerpoint, which shows how I created the camera test, including importing clips and placing in an audio track. 

Production Diary - Week 25

I have finally uploaded my Article and Poster onto my blog, as I produced what I have planned. Making the Poster and Article was the easiest part of the coursework, as you can quite easily follow your ideas, whereas actually creating the film to how you imagined is more difficult.

I had no problems with my Film Review, as I knew exactly what I wanted my article to look like and I had already picked my inspired film review magazine which was going to help me produce the design and concept of my review. I had previously written the text to my article, which meant I didn't have to waste time and could easily copy my created text onto the computer. However, I had to ensure that it was equally spaced out, with each column being the same width and height, otherwise it would look scrambled and unprofessional. This process continued throughout the design, which included the two smaller images being the same size and the lines creates. This would ensure my article was clear and professional. I wanted my film review to look like an old newspaper article; this idea was taken from a Little White Lies magazine. However, I am not overly keen with my background colour of the pale yellow and would of much preferred it to be the same pink tint as that in the film review magazine. Although, I feel that it led me to having a unique article opposed to following all the design used in the magazine, and instead produced and altered it to become my own. Overall, I do not have much to complain about my article and feel that it is how I had planned it to look. 

My poster however, had a few more problems which I struggled with; I used a picture of the same female, who is a main character in my film and tried to show her in two different lights. I aimed to create one half of the face to look like a normal woman who is seen in an innocent light and the other half of the face showing a darker side to the same woman. I feel that this gets across the message that I planned, about everyone having a dark side within them, as well as the audience will believe that due to how she is represented on the poster, that she is going to be the bad person in the film, however, the plot has a twist, which is unknown to the audience (Unless they read this beforehand!). I have followed the conventions of my genre and tried to produce a dark poster which creates a thrilling feeling for the audience. Overall, I feel that my poster follows the conventions of a film poster and represents the ideas of my film clearly and I am happy with the poster I have produced. 

Production Diary - Week 24

In today's Lesson, we have paused production due to a Mock Exam we have for media on Tuesday, which will be a full run-through of how the real exam will be like. This would also mean that during Tuesday's lesson there will be no coursework being done and won't start until Wednesday's Lesson.

This week, I have uploaded a lengthy blog post, which includes all the details of how far I have reached my coursework at the current time. It has details on all three pieces of my coursework (Poster, Article and Film), which have included any setbacks that have prevented my production and created barriers. 

Production Diary - Week 23

With no progress with being able to edit my film due to technical faults, I have had to continue with the production of my poster and my film. I have heard from the technician that within the next week he will be able to get access to a file converter which will be accepted on the computer I am currently using; due to the security placed in the school, many converters aren't accessible as they're blocked, as well as most downloads. The technician is hoping to install the converter onto the desktop to which the files can be converter to be editable via the needed software, Adobe Premiere Pro.

Production Diary - Week 22

This week, as shown from my recent post on tuesday, I have been continuing with the production of my poster. I feel uncertain as to leave my poster the way it currently is as I feel it could be more conventional with the change of colours and layout of the needed features. If I can alter some features of the poster, hopefully it will be more uniform again and more conventional.

Production Diary - Week 21

This week, with the problems with my editing process, I have to decided to continue with the production of my poster and review. I have uploaded a post this week showing the progress of my poster, which is coming along well. Hopefully within the next week it will be completed and ready to upload, where I can move on to my review.

Production Diary - Week 20

These past weeks after carry out my filming have been very difficult, especially with the huge setback of the scenes I filmed for my film unable to play back or be edited. For the past few weeks I have spent time focused on my other coursework pieces, the review and poster, which will be finished over the next few weeks. Now I have access to the file converter, hopefully now I can continue with my filming and catch up with the missed time.

Production Diary - Week 19

This week I wrote a post relating to the setbacks I have been experiencing so far through my production. During this week, I have managed to sort some of this issues out, including the issue that I mentioned regarding the problem with opening and editing my film footage due to the film format. I have began using the converting software to change the film file formats to be able to use for editing. I have also, began to edit my film and camera test footage, which I will continue into the next week.

Production Diary - Week 18

This week, I have continued to focus on finishing my Poster and Film Review; these are both nearly completed with only two images needed to be added to them of the main character. The reason this has not been completed yet, is due to the actor being unavailable; this is a setback as this is a realistic struggle in the film industry, which hopefully can be solved within the next week. Next week, I can hopefully begin the editing of my film footage, the reason I haven't done this sooner, is due to technical issues that I have been experiencing, which I will explain in a post next week.

Production Diary - Week 17

This was the first week after returning from the Christmas break (2 weeks), which as posted I have been filming for my production. I have spent the first week back focusing on the addition parts of my coursework, which is to create a Review and Poster for my short film. I have focused on drafting up the text in my review, before I began designing the pages of the review; for my review I have decided to be a critical reviewer, as I feel it will make me be less biased, as well as be a true representation of what a review for my film would be like.  I also began creating my poster for my film; I have mainly been focusing on colours that I will use and the fonts - I have produced two font charts, showing potential fonts that I will use. I later chose on using 'CARACURA' as the font type for my title(shown in a blog post); I have noted the reasons why I feel this font type is the best option in connection with the conventions of the genre.

Production Diary - Week 16

Fortunately, I have been able to fulfill the goal to carry out my filming!! This means, next week I am able to go back to my media class and begin to conduct the processing stage, as well as look at the other pieces of the coursework: Review and Poster. I can hopefully review my filming and work out if I have to reshoot certain scenes.

Production Diary - Week 15

As it has just been Christmas, I haven't done much this week in terms of filming. However, I have planned that in the next week I will conduct my filming, with the location being free to use, as well as the actors to conduct the remaining scenes. In addition, this week I have got together the crops that are needed for certain scenes, such as the blood. Next week, hopefully I can post that the filming has been a success opposed to the constant setbacks which are ocurring.

Production Diary - Week 14

During this week, I was able to fit in one production day, where I was able to film the most important scenes in my movie, unfortunately not everything was filmed, which means over the Christmas break, which today is the last day of the term, I can do. I will be taking the Camera that I will use for filming home over the two week break, as well as a tripod which will help with the filming, such as keeping the camera stable. Hopefully, the break will allow me to spend more time capturing and filming the scenes needed to allow me to begin the editing process.

Production Diary - Week 13

This week I managed to conduct some of my filming, however setbacks occurred which made me have to change the dates of m filming due to this error. This problem wasn't known to me at the time, but the date which I was conducting my filming was unavailable due to the location being too busy which would have been difficult to carry out the filming without any disturbances especially when the area would have been noisy and busy, which would cause distractions and noise/ conversations to be overheard. I have changed the dates of my filming to the following week which hopefully can mean it will be less busy and the filming can be conducted.

Production Diary - Week 12

This week I have been organising my call sheets for my production, which I will be carrying out this week as the call sheets show. My updates through these next few weeks will be focused around my filming as this is the most important task currently to get done. I have made sure that both the actors and the location will be free at that current time, which I have planned to carry out without any disturbances.

Production Diary - Week 11

This week I have spent my lessons in Media doing my Camera Test - this is to be my preliminary task, as well as to help me for my main task. For the Camera Test, I used similar shots and angles, as I would be using and have plan to use in my main production. In the following weeks, over the Christmas Holidays, I will be carry out the majority of my filming for my main production. The camera test was useful for me to fully understand how to use the Camcorder and cary out the angles I want, such as zoom. I will be using these shots to put together a camera test, which will demonstrate the use of the camera and my preliminary task.

Production Diary - Week 10

This week I got back to my coursework after sitting the Mock Exam. In the past week, I have started to look at the Video Camera I am going to be using for my Production - I have chosen a JVC HD 3 CCD Pro Camcorder.

I have been learning how to use the Camcorder and the functions of the camcorder to prepare me for my filming.  I decided on this Camcorder, as it produces great footage, from the use of the HD, as well as allows me to keep with my sequences from my story board, by the using of the cuts. The memory storage on the camera is good, as it uses memory cards, and with two memory card slots, means that I don't have to worry about running out of space or tape. In addition, it is a lot easier to transport the film clips onto the computer, ready for editing, as you will just remove the memory cards and place them into the computer.

Production Diary - Week 9

This week, I focused on the ideas for the soundtracks that I wanted to include in my short film. I spent some time, using Youtube, looking up 'Intense Music' and 'Scary Music', to get a range of ideas that I could potentially look at using for my short film. I found a producer on Youtube, called Bruno Correia - Youtube: Brunuhville music - He is a soundtrack producer that makes a variety of different music soundtracks, with no lyrics. I started having a look through his Youtube page, finding a variety of different soundtracks -  this was perfect, as this was exactly what I was looking for. The one soundtrack that stood out to me was 'The Eternal Forest'; after listening to it a few times, I decided on this soundtrack, it fitted with the type of music I needed and wanted for my film. I then went on to contacting him, in order to gain the permission to use his music. The screenshot shows the email conversation between us, with the only term of having to credit him as the composer of the music.

As well as this, I created and published the Actors who I will be casting in my film. In the following week, there I will have a break from publishing posts, as our A2 Media Class has a Mock Exam.

Production Diary - Week 8

This week I felt I have been very productive to get to the stage I am at! I have finalised my script after editing my first draft - you can see the changes from looking at my first draft and second draft script posts. I have also focused on the name on my film, which you can tell after reading my posts, I have called my film DISTORT! I am very happy with the idea of my film, after having complications a few weeks ago, with having difficulties coming up with the whole storyline. I also produced a narrative structure, which shows how the idea of my film works, as well as creating storyboards and call sheets to the process I will go through completing my film.