Prelim Task - Evaluation

1) Who did you work with and how did you manage the task between you?

I worked with Dom and Megan. We divided the tasks between us and at the end of each lesson we would talk to each other and discuss what we had all done and what we could do to improve upon it. When it came to making the storyboard we worked together making sure we were all happy with it. We all had a go at filming and editing so it was fair and we all had the same amount of work.

2) How did you plan your sequence? What processes did you use?

We planned using a storyboard and went through the video shot by shot on YouTube timing how long each shot lasted and we also drew and wrote what was happening within the shot. This gave us a good guide to what we needed to shoot and how long for. We also wrote down what needed to be mimed and in which shot.

3) What theories could you apply to the video you chose?

I think this music video backs up Goodwin's theory of music video's not following a narrative and being an advert for the band and the song as there are many shots of the band and its members. There are also links between the visuals and the lyrics of the song which also goes along with the theory.

4) What technology did you use to complete the task, and how did you use it?

We used our computers to find the original music video using YouTube. We also used other websites to find the lyrics of the song which we could use while filming. We had to use a projector for some shots and we asked for the teacher to allow us to use it and we took the shots we needed. We also used a camera and tripod which we had all used before so we were comfortable with using this equipment.

5) What factors did you have to take into account when planning, shooting and editing?

As a group we made sure that what we were making was as close to the original as we could make it. We had to keep revisiting the original to ensure this and also refer to our storyboard which we had made. We had to consider factors such as timing and mise en scene to ensure it was as close to the original as possible.

6) How successful was your music video copy? Please identify what worked well, and with hindsight, what would you improve/do differently? What did others say about your production?

I think our copy was okay but could have been better as there were some shots that we missed and some of the timings were off. I think that the lip syncing could have been better. If I had to go back and do this task again I would follow the storyboard closer and make sure that we could get the shots for the correct timings. I also think that lip syncing was okay in our copy but could've been better. A lot of people liked our production but they said that it wasn't as close to the original as it could have been.

7) What have you learnt from completing this task? Looking ahead, how will this learning be significant when completing your music video, do you think?

I have learnt that it is very important to get a lot of shots for music videos and also to always over film. I also learnt that lip syncing is very difficult and looks terrible if done wrong. This will greatly help me make my music video as I now know the challenges that I will face when constructing it.

8) How does it compare with filming an opening to a film?

I think that this was a lot harder to film as there are a lot more shots and the timings are a lot harder to keep to. Also miming is very hard to do and also very difficult to match up when it comes to the editing. You need to over film a lot more as you need to make sure that you get the shot right and make sure you have a couple of shots that you can choose from when you have to edit.

9) What are your strengths and weaknesses as a group member?

I think my strongest points are filming and planning as I feel comfortable using a camera and I also think I am quite good at directing and telling people how I want the shot to look and how I want it to play out. My weaknesses are acting and editing. I found miming very difficult and couldn't quite get the hang of it. I think other people in the group could mime a lot better. I also struggle with editing as sometimes I need help finding the right shots and also finding the right effects.

10) Looking at the other group's videos which do you think were most successful and why?

I think that the most successful video was the 12E's group. I think theirs was the best as the effects were really well done and the shots matched almost perfectly. You can tell that it had all been thought out and planned properly and carefully. Also the lip syncing was very good and looked very realistic.