Preliminary Task Essay

I have learnt a lot from my preliminary task as I now know the different kinds of shots used in videos or movies, and how you can use the camera to create a more professional recording. It also benefited me in my team work skills, as I worked in a group and we had to gather ideas and see which would be the most convenient and ideal, I also learnt new editing skills that can help me in the actual practical.




The three principles that we used in the camera shots were extremely useful and needed in are video, as it made us have better quality video, as we used professional skills. The 180 degree rule maintains the line of action that should not be crossed; it is like a boundary for the camera, so that there would be continuity. We used this when the two characters where sitting on the table having a conversation, this let the audience see that both characters are looking at one another on the same side of the shot and that they have direct contact with one another.


Shot reverse shot was used to show the dialogue sequence between both characters, to show the view of each character when they are talking/ arguing, so that the audience can have a full view of what is going on and let the audience to focus on both characters that are having the conversation.


We also used Match on action which is a technique used in film editing, it connects two different views of the same action, the same movement by carefully matching the movement across the two shots, film makers make the motion continue un interrupted. We used this when the main character was walking up the stairs and walking towards the table, this helped to not bore the audience and keep them watching rather than let them watch every step of the character, so it kept the audience engages.


Storyboarding was very helpful during the preliminary task. Firstly it helped put our idea on paper, to visualise it before taking it into action. The story board helped us know what we needed to do, including types of shot and affects so that we would have a plan of what we will do in order to accomplish the video we visualised, so that we would not go on set without having a clue of what we need to do. The storyboard was like a guide that we used to follow or even improve on.


In our preliminary task we used editing, we did this a lot in order to cut shots, and put them in order to create meaning to the audience, so that it would make sense and move in a flow. During editing we also deleted unneeded shots, and kept some unneeded shots for the credits. We also used editing for our match on action shots, in order to use the match on action technique we would need to connect two different parts of the same action together, and yet make it flow. We also used our editing techniques to add the remarks of the video, such as actors and the name of the video. We also added in most scenes high contrast, to define the colours in the scenes more and make it eye catching. We used transitions only twice so that it would not seem reparative and unprofessional. We used transitions at the start of the video, showing the main character fading out slightly when she is walking towards the door and entering the building. The second transition used was at the end of the video, which is towards the end of the credits; this made them fade slowly as if the characters are escaping off screen, this also made the audience aware that this is the end of the video, rather than ending it in a sudden, which is quite unprofessional.


We came up with this idea as a group and made sure that it would embody the three principles and yet make sense. We tried to make it as simple as possible so that it we would complete it by the deadline given, so we based it on two characters. The main character walks in temper towards the building and door which helped us use match on action which is one of the principles, and then we used the 180 degree rule and shot reverse shot to show a ‘random’ conversation happening between both characters. We wanted to make it humorous so we made the girl be angry at the girl for now reason, and interrupt her study time, and just go and shout at her saying ‘I know what you did’, the conversation continues from her to show the characters emotions with the use of close ups. This was very basic and only took us a lesson to gather the idea together, and finalise it.