Main Task Editing: Final Cut

For our Preliminary task we used iMovie in order to edit our video in a very quick and simple manner. This is not the case for the Main Task as we used a more complex software in Final Cut Express. Using Final Cut allowed us to achieve the best results and the aspired results for our Main Task Coursework. Final Cut allowed us to superimpose titles onto the video edited in Livetype and insert original audio partly compiled on Garageband to give our film opening that extra originality and diversity. Upon getting comfortable with using Final Cut we started to find editing simple and therefore the process of editing went smoothly and quickly.

Here are some screenshots of the editing process.

Main Task: Mise-En-Scene

For the opening of "Murder Studies" Fred's (My) costume is all black but business like, this conveys that Fred is a well-presented and well working student however the colour of the costume creates the aura of a mysterious darkness in this seemingly "average joe" character.

                                   

Main Task Construction: Sorting out equipment

For filming our opening to "Murder Studies" we needed certain equipment in order to assist us in guaranteeing smooth movement with the camera. The dolly (a wheel based assistant for smoothly moving the tripod) was very helpful in parts of the opening such as the beginning with the crab shot of the classroom and the tracking shot of Fred (Me) walking through the school corridor.

Group partner Mateusz putting together the dolly.

Me and my partner Mateusz together with the newly assembles dolly equipped tripod.

Main Task: Shot List

Main Task: Filming 2 (Classroom Scene)

During day 2 of filming we filmed the classroom in which the teacher establishes the scene of a media lesson by speaking about the Coursework task at hand, in this day of filming we also established the character of Fred who is writing something mysterious but obviously cryptic on a side of an A4 sheet of plain paper.

Main Task: Filming 1 (Vision scene)

Our first filming session included filming the vision scene in which Fred (John Power; Me) is chasing a victim (Holeigh Perkins) in an attempt to murder her. The two camera shots we used in this short scene was a tracking shot for the chasing and a close up shot for when Fred finally catches up to the victim who has reached the obstacle of a locked door that leads to safety. The scene cuts out as Fred appears to have his victim caught, this leaves the audience asking the question; does the victim survive or die? 

 
The starting point of the scene, before Mateusz's shout of "Action!" to cue the running. This was our 4th take as we had apprehensive thoughts on the pace of my character's running and how far away I should be from the victim for my starting point.

This is the end of the scene in which the victim turns to see Fred advancing towards her to presumably murder her. The close up adds to the tension of the scene as minimal looking space for a character can convey the idea of being trapped to the audience. 

Main Task Research: Final Cut Express practice

In order to get comfortable with the software we would be using for our Main Task editing we practiced with a small test. Here a student is getting dumped and the scene has been edited to get rid of background noise of the cameraman shouting "Action" and the actors laughing at the end of takes.

Use mark in/ mark out to pick out the small section of video you want to copy piece by piece, you can press the left and right buttons to go from frame to frame in order to get rid of the "Action!" moment at the right second. 

"Do you think our son's going to be okay?" "Yeah he'll be fine" was filmed from two different angles but has been edited to make it a shot reverse shot.