Module 2

So onto the 2nd module 'Creative Media Practice'.

Jump Cut

The first assignment in this module is based on video 'jump cutting'. The brief is that time is running out and you have to be somewhere fast! We were asked to create a short film in which a person needs to be somewhere else NOW! They have two minutes to make it and obstacles shouldn't stand in their way. Again all of the shot types (CU, MS, LS etc) used in the first film assignment were to be used. However, there was to be no continuity cutting or hidden editing. Instead the sequence required use of the jump cut technique to add energy and a contemporary feel. For our film my group decided that the story behind this would be based on a groom who has woken up on the streets after his stag night and realises he has to get to the church for his wedding. We decided to use a parallel edit to help tell the story. The action switched from the calm of the bride getting ready for her wedding whilst the groom is rushing to get home to change and make his way to get to the church on time. I've attached some screenshots of the shoot. Unfortunately it wasn't a happy ending for the groom as the bride jilted him at the alter, she ran off with another man!

It was good fun shooting the film even though I got some funny looks in Wrexham running around in a suit tripping over and banging into things in the street! It's hard work being an actor! Thanks to my team members Dawn, Gemma, Janet & Sue. The film was entitled 'See John Run'.




Audio

The second assignment was entitled 'Audio'. It focussed on sound track production and introduced digital editing techniques. We were asked to listen to the radio and produce a soundtrack using digital cut and splice techniques. I recorded exerts from news items and chat shows to produce one entertaining sound track. I really enjoyed this assignment although it was quite a challenge obtaining all of the pieces to create the final track (I had to listen to hours of radio!).

Vox Pops

Two assignments were set for the 3rd week of this module. A video in the 'Vox Pops' style and series of photographs based on reportage were required. For the Vox Pops we decided to interview a number of students about the social life around the University and how it varied between age groups. Audio was a problem on the shoot as there was lots of background noise and the microphone built into the camera wasn't very good. We used the sound room for some of the recording which was much better although the feedback we had was that this wasn't really what Vox Pops was about.

Reportage

For the reportage assignment I decided to produce a mini portfolio  (10 images) of abandoned industry in the Wrexham area. I focussed on the Minera open cast lime mines and also a local colliery at Rhos that had been closed down. We also made a visit to an old lead mine near Wrexham. The first image is of the wheel at the top of the mine shaft, it was used to operate the lift. The sun was setting at the time so I got a nice shot in 'contre jour'.

The second shot is inside one of the lime kilns in Minera. It was pitch black down there so I had to use the flash. I changed the settings to second curtain and a strange effect occurred, nearest to the camera the wall is in focus however at distance towards the back of the kiln the shot is slightly blurred. I think this creates an eerie effect! As you can see in the final photo I've posted there was snow on the ground and it was very cold! There were  lots of old abandoned tools and barrels that had once been used by the industry, but long since left to rust.

Photography 2
This assignment introduced competencies in creative photography with emphasis on colour theory and development of the photographic eye. We were asked to produce 3 colour images for each of the following subjects : Monocolour, complimentary and analogous colour. Analogous colours are those that are adjacent to each other on the colour wheel as shown below:

Below are a couple of the photos I produced:

The photo on the left is one of the shots that I took for the analogous colour, the dark blues and purples of the clouds. The second photo demonstrates rhythm. The bikes, roof line and cars all contribute.




We were also asked to produce one picture for each of the following subjects: High viewpoint looking down, low viewpoint looking up, rhythm, frames within frames and window reflection. Below are some of the shots I produced:

The photograph on the left was taken at the gardens of Chirk Castle. I used this for my frame within frame shot. The one on the right is the low viewpoint looking up. I thought the trees worked particularly well for this shot.







Parallel Action
The brief for the final assignment in this module was to create a short live action sequence to show understanding of 'parallel action'. Again a range of shot types was required and it was important to work as a team to produce a satisfactory result. As I'd been the main actor in the two previous films I decided I wanted to get behind the camera for this particular film. We'd previously had experience of parallel edit in our 'See John Run' film so knew what was expected. Having had primarily fast moving chase scenes in the last two films we decided to slow the action down for this one. The story flipped between a female character in an institution and another person who was doing normal every day things such as making tea and walking the dog. However, things aren't quite as they seem as the character supposedly doing the normal everyday task starts to see things (e.g. a doll) that was owned by her twin sister. It then transpires that the sister killed her twin in a car crash and has since 'gone off the rails' and unfortunately ended up in an institution. The film is called 'Dark Symmetery'. Below are some photos of the shoot:










Well that's it for module 2! Stay tuned for the next!