Analysis of existing preliminary task

The First student preliminary task I looked at was by Persona Pictures. The task starts with a pan upwards on a whiteboard, which then blurs into a classroom where we can only see the feet of students. Through the clip we can see they are taking a exam and there’s close up’s of a students face. The student then walks into another classroom where match on action is used. The student then sits down with another student and talks about maths the test he recently took where shot reverse shot is sued. He then exits the room. The task used match on action effectively where it was appropriate. For example when he was walking up the stairs and when he opened the door to enter the classroom. It looked effective, as the timing of the action was right. They also included a over the shoulder shot which looked effective and it make the use of 180 degree rule and shot reverse shot quite effective. In my opinion the task was successful as it wasn’t boring compared to my own preliminary task. It had movement, which created a story whereas in mine there were two actors who were just talking to each other. Another factor that was successful was the use of sound. Although the soundtrack didn’t fit exactly how he was feeling, it created the sense of the task being realistic. It also make the task much more interesting to watch. However a problem I found was that the camera was very shaky when he was walking from one classroom to another. This could have been improved by using a steadicam or by having smoother movements.

The second preliminary task I looked at started off with a establishing shot. It included many tracking shots, which followed the character walking. Again there’s a effective use of match on action as he’s walking up the stairs and as he opens the door as the timing is right. They also use angles such as high angle, which makes the task look much professional. They included shot reverse shot as they were having the conversation which shows they stuck to what the preliminary task asks for. Something they did well was the good use of the soundtrack. There’s a intense soundtrack right from the beginning of the clip until he enters the class. This suggests how he’s feeling. The beat sounds like a increased heartbeat which he may be feeling as he’s late to his class. Another successful factor in this preliminary task was the use of transitions. They included transitions when the camera changed angles and shots. This made the task flow much better as there weren’t any noticeable jumps, which made the task, look much professional. They also putted some thought into the costumes the actors wear. The student was wearing a hoodie whereas the teacher was wearing a smart shirt and tie. This again helps us to see who’s superior and makes it look professional. Again this is much better compared to my own preliminary task, as I had no sounds or transitions, which make my preliminary task boring and jumpy. Something this preliminary task could improve was on making the 180-degree rule explicit as there wasn’t a clear on.