Film-making and preliminary work

Camera movements :

• Panning - horizontal or vertical movement, follows an object/subject and tracks surrounding 

• Tracking (dolly shot) - movement of camera towards or from subject/object 

• Zooming - zoom in or out, changes frame proportion 

• Crane/helicopter/drone shot - free from the ground, easy manoeuvring establishing shot

• Tilt - pivot camera up and down in small movements, usually used in point of views 

• Handheld - carried by operator, unsteady and uneven 

• Steadicam - camera attached to operator, steadily follows characters through complex environments 

Trying out the 4 main camera movements (tracking, panning, zooming and tilting) -

Reflection on personal skill development :

By trying out the four main camera movements, I acquired a deeper understanding of how to use them while filming and their effect. I now know that the pan movement is able to expand an audience’s point of view, while a tilt can introduce a character in dramatic fashion or establish a location. Moreover, a track can immerse an audience in a particular setting, while a zoom can be used to convey a close shot and focus on more details. 

Overall, I now recognise such camera movements easily and can use them with confidence in my two minute opening scene.

Cuts and transitions :

• Cross-cutting - cutting between 2 locations or actions

• Jump-cut - subject jumps forward in time

• Match-cut - using elements from one shot in the next one

• Cutaway - cut to insert shot and then cut back

• Cutting on action - cutting to match action or perspective 

• Sharp cut - abrupt and noticeable transition 

• Invisible cut - looks like one long take with no cuts (unnoticeable)

• J-cut - audio from next scene starts before visual (also known as sound bridge)

• L-cut - audio from previous scene plays in next (also known as sound bridge)

• Fade in/out - fading to or from a blank image  

• Dissolve - blending two shots

1 minute video project (class assignment) - 

Reflection on personal skill development :

By creating a one minute video project I was able to recognise what I can do well and where I lack any specific skills. Moreover, it gave me an idea of how film production works and all the steps required to create a short video, such as filming, editing and adding all kinds of details - like text and music. 

By allowing myself the creative freedom to form such a video, I became more involved in the idea of drafting and forming detailed plans. And although spontaneous decisions while filming do work well sometimes, I want to rely more on a specific plan in my future work - since I find it easier and faster.