June 2014 archive

Final Analysis/Reflection – A Look Back

Please reflect on how you feel about the course. What surprised you, what excited you, what disappointed you. What we could have done better. What you could have done better.

My Goals/Desires response from Week 1:

For the first semester of Film-TV 1 I hope to gain a better understanding of the production process of films, from the pre-production stage right through to post-production. I hope to gain an understanding of industry practices which will help me feel better equipped to conduct my own productions in the future.

I want to challenge myself by taking on roles that I’m not used to in production such as trying my hand at cinematography or technical adviser. By pushing myself to learn how to best serve the production from a technical stand point I believe I will become a better filmmaker by not letting fear of technology stand in my way.

I hope to learn from the other students not only in my group but in the other film groups as well. I would like to learn how to be a better editor and to learn skills in lighting and sound, which if I’m not in charge of I still hope to learn these skills by watching and helping other students.

By the end of the semester I hope to be a more well-rounded filmmaker who is ready to take on any aspect of filmmaking.

And Now:

This semester of Film/TV 1 has been the best I’ve ever had in terms of setting out to achieve, learn, and grow from the experience. I feel like I have gained so much from just one semester of film production that I can’t wait to continue studying, working and learning.

I set out to gain knowledge in production practices, lighting and sound, and editing and I have come away feeling more confident in my ability than ever before. I’ve always felt confident in my writing, producing and organisation skills but I’ve always taken a step back when it came to the technical side of things. I feel really proud that I can now take the lead in any of the production roles, which I never would’ve had the confidence to do before this course. I certainly never thought I would be confident, let alone enjoy editing but I really did. I used to always ask my brother for technical help but now he is asking me for advice and I even colour graded a video for him just today, which I never thought I’d be able to do before this semester.

I really feel like I took myself out of my comfort zone this semester and gained so much for it. Before this semester, I was hesitant to put my hand up for production roles for experience, but now I feel like I can take on any role and that my production experience/knowledge no longer holds me back. I just want to keep making content and now I feel like I can do it without needing a whole team of people to rely on.

This course is fantastic, and I don’t have any criticisms at all. The only thing that surprised me was the lack of attendance at the lectures. Before this semester I’d never had lectures and have heard that people tend to not go. It was a bit disappointing as I gained a lot from the lectures and feel like others (even those in my group) would’ve benefited a lot from them.

I really loved how everyone came together to help one another despite whether we were from the same tute or not, just because we all understood what we were going through. It was great that all of the students could lean on one another for advice and support and the teachers are just superb. The teachers’ commitment to the students, their approachable nature, knowledge and dedication outside of class is amazing. I can’t fault this course. I feel like I learned and gained the most from it than any other subject or even my previous course.

Final Analysis/Reflection – Film Reviews

Film Reviews:

Coffee & Pi:

This film is proof that simple ideas are usually the best. The humour that comes from Adrian factoring in the different possible ways he could approach Rebecca taps into the natural awkward and nervous feelings we go through when we want to approach someone we like. I really liked the equation graphics that accompanied the possibilities Adrian was considering and I think they really helped tell the story and add a style to the film. The story is very easy to relate to and funny, the actors performed the characters really well. The only thing that really distracted me was some of the framing (close-ups) could’ve been a bit neater and tidier, particularly in the important conversation between Adrian and Rebecca. I felt like that scene could’ve been covered or edited in a more interesting way to highlight it’s importance.

Shelter:

Wow. This film brought intensity from the get go. The sound production and editing of the entire film, but in particular the beginning when the children are running away, is amazing. The opening scene gets you straight into the suspense and thriller genre of the film and hooks the audience instantly. I loved the clever use of editing and using lens flares to suggest what is outside of the shelter to avoid having to show the outside world. I wouldn’t have thought that a futuristic apocalyptic world could’ve been depicted so well with the constraints that we all had, but this film definitely proved me wrong. However, the story did seem a bit rushed towards the climax. It’s probably more suited to a feature film length as I really would’ve liked to see more interaction between Blair and the siblings, building that tension up and wondering what will happen. I understand the ending of them returning to a better world, but I don’t think it was really necessary and you could’ve ended it on the siblings hugging after Blair is killed. This may have given you more time to build up the suspense between the characters.

A Love Lost:

I was interested to watch this film as the mood and story are both quite similar to our film ‘Getting By’. The pacing of the film was great in that it reflected Graham’s grief and his daily struggle without his wife. The use of voice over was an interesting choice and I think it would be great to see a version without it, because I think the story would come across just as well. With saying that, I did like the insight into Graham’s day, like how he sometimes forgets and makes breakfast for two, or remembers too well. The lighting in the anniversary scene was superb and I loved the candlelight, it really brought the mood of the scene to life. I did find some of the dialogue in this scene a bit confusing though. The stark contrast between the lighting made me think he was daydreaming of what he wishes he said to his wife before she passed away, and it only became clearer that it was a memory further into the dialogue. Catherine’s reaction to Graham answering his phone during dinner kind of goes against what she was saying to him. Overall, the sadness and grief of Graham came through in the way the film was put together.

Sliced:

I was really keen to watch this film as I helped out on it. I really enjoyed it, I thought it was really funny and the suspenseful and intense music just added to the absurd nature of his addiction. The opening scene in the alleyway is really funny. It’s a shame that some of the other scenes had to be cut for technical reasons but I thought it was clever how the transition between the dinner scene was cut to the alleyway. The performances were great, however the only criticism I have is that I think the ending could’ve been exaggerated a lot more – maybe he is lying on his bed covered in white bread and in bread heaven, like you would see with gangstas and cash. I think that the addiction could’ve been pushed even more further, however I still think it’s great and funny.

 

LTS – Satan Wants a Wife

He’s not pretending to be Prince Harry (that’s just plain devilish) but Satan is looking for love in the latest episode of Letters to Satan written and directed by yours truly. If you love parodies, and especially those of cheesy reality TV shows, you should check this episode out! Check us out on Facebook.