Match cut practice - Second filming practice 12/01/09

This lesson was basically for us to experiment, and practice using the camera again, allowing us to be comfortable and confident in how to use the camera appropriately and in a professional way, so that when it comes to us filming our actual thriller, we are well aware, skilled, certain, experienced and contented while handling the camera. (While filming). The difference between this filming practice session and the previous filming practice session (the newspaper thriller), is that in this practice session, we were expected to include some sort of match cut technique, and the 180 degree rule, showing what we had learnt from the previous lesson with Rebecca. A match cut could be known as “raccord” or even a “metaphor cut”. This is a technical term for a cut in film editing from one scene to another, in which the two camera shots' compositional elements match, helping to establish a strong continuity of action. It can be used to underline a connection between two separate elements, or for purely visual reasons. The 180° rule is a basic film editing guideline that states those two characters (or other elements) in the same scene should always have the same left/right relationship to each other. If the camera passes over the imaginary axis connecting the two subjects, it is called crossing the line. Also, the new shot, from the opposite side, is known as a reverse angle. As myself and tony were absent in the previous lesson of planning, due to our exam, we had only Zenneath to explain fully to us what we were expected to do, and film, as Rebecca was absent that day. Due to the missing out of the previous lesson, I felt like myself and tony worked really hard as we had no clue on what we were expected to do. Even after Zenneath had explained, we were still unsure in certain things like the 180 degree rule, or even what the match cut technique is all about, however we made it our business to find out what those were about, so that we do not miss out on any essential information. In result to this, we asked Mikey for some guidance and a brief explanation of what match cut technique is all about, and the 180 degree rule. After this point, myself and tony felt confident and certain to start filming, as we now we understood completely what to do, and what was expected of us at the end of this lesson. After Zenneath had given us the storyboard, and a brief understanding of the storyline, we got down to business and started filming. Tony and Zenneath were acting, and I was the camera man, with a little support from Zenneath when she was not acting. I basically had to film Tony walking down a corridor, opening a door and entering into a room. He then had to join Zenneath, by sitting down at a table, where they both shared a couple of lines between themselves. This was done through using different camera shots, from different angles, including the 180 degree rule, and the match cut technique. At one point, we needed some direction from Mickey; as we needed some recommendation on how to shoot a specific shot from a specific angle. This is where we ran out of time due to this difficulty and the fact that tony and Zenneath had the giggles, (which made the overall experience fun, and exciting), we had to work threw our break time, back into our lesson time, which is when we then went into the editing sweet to begin editing. At the end of our editing session, our finished outcome was impressive, however I feel like it could have been made to appeal to be more thrilling and suspenseful. On the other hand it was good.I am pleased and grateful that we had this lesson to practice filming once again as, as I was doing majority of the camera work, I really got a chance to bond with the camera and learn, knowing properly and thoroughly how to use, and handle the camera by myself with no support. I also learned a new editing technique which I never knew before. This was the match cut technique and the 180 degree rule. In addition to doing some research on the match cut technique and the 180 degree rule, (definitions), I now feel even more confident in what I have learnt, and in how to use the camera. I feel like this was another lesson well used, as I benefited a lot from it.