Reflective blog

Week 2-3
One task we did in groups was ordering the most important job out of a list of production jobs. We learnt that a gaffer is the person who controls the electrics, meaning this position is actually more important than we thought. Each group discussed what their list was and then Sam shared his list and explained why he had put it in that order, which taught us that some jobs that look unimportant may actually be the most important!

During week 2 we did an activity with Paul where we had to record an interview on one of the audio recorders and then uploaded it to Adobe Audition, to evaluate how it sounded. We learnt how to check if the location you're using is suitable for your recording or if it will cause problems and create interference. I have written more about this on my sound pages.

Week 3-4

For the 3rd week of college, we started learning about research methods, this is because it would tie into the first project for Level 2's. Sam showed us a slideshow explaining qualitative and quantitative research as well as primary and secondary research. We had to create pages on our Webnode about each research method. The same week we learnt about copyright and started to research the legal and ethical issues that could be faced in the media industry and what regulations are in place to make sure people aren't harmed by media content, this includes organisations like OFCOM, ASA, and the BBFC.

In groups, we were given a DVD and had to use different research methods to find out if the age classification is still accurate at this time. We were given "Karate Kid," so I looked online to see what it included that made it a 15 and I agreed with the rating. My peers flicked through the DVD and disagreed, saying it should change to be a 12.

Week 4-5

With Paul, on separate occasions, we used Adobe After Effects to animate a batman and superman logo. Using different buttons, we could put a marker on our video and enter different numbers, so that the image would rotate and move to different places at different speeds. There is more information about these tasks under "Adobe practice tasks" in the section "Class Tasks."

We used Premier Pro to practice editing a promotional video for a rock climbing center, this is because we will be using premier pro throughout our course. We had to use the mark in and out buttons to cut the video before selecting it, so that it was easier to edit. I added the clips I liked most and overlaid the music. 

Level 3 week 1

During the week I started level 3, the first thing I learnt was how to use audio effects in Premier Pro. I learnt how to un-link audio and video, decrease the audio and use the effects page to make the sound muffled. We edited a video of a guy jumping into a pool, so when he jumped underwater, the music would sound like it was muffled by the water. Unfortunately I lost both premier pro practice tasks when the macs were wiped as I saved it in the wrong place. After that we continued catching up on our blog.

I am unsure of the official order of tasks completed in class, due to absences, but we then moved on to our pre production planning. This included creating a mind map plan on MindMup 2. to create a rough outline of what we wanted to include. This task was pretty straightforward and self explanatory, we added our how-to video ideas and any equipment/specific set ups needed.

In Sam's classes we began our location recce and risk assessment. Some people used areas and photos of the college to create practice /draft location recces. I still had some tasks to catch up on but payed attention to what we needed to include, meaning I felt comfortable and confident when completing my location recce at home (which was were I was filming anyhow). 

Level 3 week 2

The class spent some time catching up and when I came in we started editing a practice video. The videos were from the beginning of the term, so I was allowed to edit other groups work, as I wasn't there at the time. The skills we learnt in this session will really benefit us when editing and recording our how to/audio. I have evaluated what we learnt on the page "Adobe tasks" under class tasks.

In Sam's class, he explained the importance of a bibliography/Harvard referencing and how to use it in your project. I managed to complete this as I went along with my project, saving any websites I had referenced or learnt from. He also gave us the shot list template and showed us how we should document each shot. Later in that class, Sam introduced us to "The Gibbs Reflective Cycle." In groups/individually we all got given a section of the Gibbs Cycle and had to use it to evaluate our college term so far. We went round the class and shared our mini evaluations. I had the section "conclusion", meaning I highlighted what I had learnt, what I need to improve on and what I can do better, that I couldn't before. It was a very insightful task and I realized that I need to work on asking for help if I don't understand, instead of trying to figure it out alone.

Using the resources on ALO, I managed to complete all of my pre-production tasks on time. I like the fact I have easy access to all the information I need, meaning I can work at my own pace if I need to catch up. I really enjoyed creating the script and storyboard, as it meant I could edit and add ideas whilst working on it. 

I struggled with the shot list and managing to figure out what shots I wanted before I started production. Next time, I will create a storyboard on paper and add a dedicated space under each square where, before drawing, I can note which shots may work best with each scene. This would make it easier for me to put them together in one place. Once completed, I can transfer them to a shot list.