7. Looking back to your preliminary task, what do you feel that you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

Comparing the preliminary task to the final product of an opening sequence I feel there has been an improvement – to some extent.

In terms of camerawork, the preliminary task used a limited set of shots such as long shots and medium shots, which was due to my lack of understanding how to use camerawork to my advantage in representing social groups and characters within the sequence.

For example, close ups can be used in order to distinguish characters and indicate their importance and power. Leteisha’s character within the piece was a dominant person and I feel I could have used a close up in order to portray this.

Using the image above as an example, I feel as though I could have used a close up placed directly in front of Latisha’s face in order to make the audience feel her powerful gaze. Because the angle of the camera wasn’t like this, I feel as though the audience didn’t fully experience the power dynamic within the sequence.

However, in comparison to the opening sequence entitled ‘Obsession’ there is clearly an improvement of camera shots in order to portray a character. For example, using the image below as a demonstration we have Tshani who plays a dominant role as a psycho ex girlfriend. There is the use of a close up on the ex with a tilt upwards at low angle. This is used effectively to portray her intimidating and superior character as shown below:

Being in charge of filming of the sequence – both prelim and opening sequence, I have learnt a lot about to how handle a camera and tripod. For example, during the preliminary task I had difficulty setting the camera onto the tripod as well as getting the tripod to remain balanced. This caused difficulty in the group being able to get the angles and shot types we desired. However, throughout my many trials and errors of using the camera and tripod, I have learnt how to use them efficiently.

The image above displays tripod with a focus on what is known the ‘tripod bubble’. Prior to my encounter with a tripod I had assumed that this was just there for decoration. But I then learnt that in order to help balance the tripod, I must make reference to the bubble to make sure it is in center to determine whether the tripod was balanced. After learning this, it had helped me greatly during the filming process of the opening sequence. I was able to use camera angles more to my advantage in the opening sequence project. I have learnt that how camera angles and shots are highly important, especially in connection to which genre is chosen. The use of close ups and high or low angles must be used to demonstrate the dynamic between binary opposites typically portrayed in horrors such as good vs evil.