When approaching the Jody & Spencer project there were a number of skills involved in the process. Many I had taken on board and bettered as the project progressed. For instance, Pre-production work; For a majority of the time the work completed prior to the recording and editing of the short was minimal. Instead, we were given a ready made script and shot list with specific details as to what the final film should look like. We had lines from the short film embed into a table along with the timings and shot sizes. This was useful as it not only saved me time working on the project but it also reassured me that the set out I had in mind for creating such a film was correct. Considering its impact on the project, the paperwork proved most useful as it gave me, as the director, opportunities for visualizing what each shot was supposed to look like. From there, the project would go on to look, hopefully, as close to the script as possible. On the other hand, it also left room for creativity as there were no detailed camera movements mentioned and there were only shot sizes. This allowed me to experiment with movement and tracking therefore giving a more three dimensional perspective to the project and having shots look that little bit more exciting.

In terms of the shot sizes and composition I was made more confident in knowing what each different shot size should look like. For instance, a medium shot is very similar to that of a medium close up however there are slight differences. When approaching shot sizes and composition I simply went forward with what I believed each shot would look like with regards to the instructions and, for the most part, this method worked. Sometimes, trying to determine how I could get a character to enter or exit a shot was difficult as the framing would often look slightly different to what I had in mind. Occasionally, the actor would seem too far to the left of shot and so I would have to inform the camera operator and we would discuss different ways of lining up the shots. However, this was not much of a disadvantage as it made room for creativity and even made me understand the issues directors often face when trying to achieve specific visual compositions and ideas. Now, I know what to expect when approaching a project and

With the audio recording there were a number of challenges and skills developed including initiative. For instance, we were each given radio microphones which were connected to a recording device via radio waves. The actor(s) would wear the microphone(s) and any dialogue performed during recording time would be captured. However, there were problems regarding connecting the two separate devices and so we were forced to use a shotgun microphone on a boom pole. We connected the shotgun mic to the recording device which should have been used with the radio mics and from there we were able to easily capture all relevant audio including additional ambiance to set the cinematic tone for the film. Mobility was often a challenge as the pole was to be extended and distanced from the actor so that it picked up dialogue but remained out of shot. After overcoming both problems the audio was captured and, during Post-production, was lined up with the video and created a more cinematic feel for the project rather than simply using audio recorded from the camera mic. Though this would have been possible there would have been a majority of insignificant sounds being picked up as well as the actor’s voice and so it was more a triumph in using the audio equipment I already had at my disposal.

When it finally came to editing the project it seemed that I felt more confident. That is as opposed to when we began shooting and experienced issues with the recording of audio. Of course, there are always issues during production even when you reach the end and, for me, it was finding all audio and renaming it. At first, I simply transferred the audio files as I was pressed for time and had to move on. Eventually, I was editing the project and began with the visuals which were captured. Here, I was able to explore my creativity for vision and experiment with sinister colour grading, this was including blues and blacks and dialing down the saturation. However, when it came to linking audio with video I was met with the problem of not knowing which audio file was recorded at the same time as the specific shots. In overcoming this problem I had to run through each and every recorded audio piece and then refer back to the videos and see if the performance matched. From there I was able to rename the audio files and, eventually, link them up with the visuals. This was a great relief to me and proved to work rather well in setting the tone of the scene.

Another minor problem I faced and did not realize until after editing was continuity errors; at one moment during the interior shots the actor and a member of staff behind a counter are the only two people in shot. However, after a brief few cuts away to the exterior shots there are people present in the background. This was only a minor mistake and could easily be passed off as a difference in time and perhaps suggests the character have been talking for longer or the world is moving around the other character as they hear potentially shocking or distressing news.

Overall, the impact these minor set backs and required skills had on the final piece were of an even number. Skills such as editing were areas of the project I was already comfortable with and I only really learnt more than I was held back. Looking at areas where I had improved, I managed to improve my understanding of working with audio equipment as I had never particularly worked with industry based audio recording equipment prior to joining the level 3 course and when using it, specifically on this project, I found that I grew more confident working with it to achieve the correct audio. I believe that in terms of being creative when there are certain instructions withheld from me I have developed even more and find that I am able to think on my feet about a certain method and explain it to my crew and make sure we agree on what is supposed to be done. As a whole, it was a very beneficial project and I hope that my joy and excitement in making this project is reflected in the final product.