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

When I made the preliminary task it was the first time I had used new media technologies and created a media product. Making the preliminary task was helpful when learning to use the technology I had to use for my main product.

Imovie:

When I edited the preliminary task I was completly alien to Imovie. I was unsure of how to add music, titles and cuts. However, as the time went past I learnt how to use all of the above effectively. I feel I have done this well and can now produce an efffective media product.
I also added in music on top of the film, I was able to do this because I had learnt how to edit the music in from another source; GarageBand. In my preliminary task I simply used the music from Imovie and used it without editing it.

My editing skills have improved immensly. This is evident from the preliminary tasks. I have used cross dissolves and fades to allow the opening to flow. I didn't use any cuts in the preliminary task. I feel thatI have made a huge improvement from editing my preliminary task to editing my final product.

Panasonic Camcorder: Before making my preliminary task I had never used a panasonic camcorder. I was taught how it work and I felt that I used it simply during the preliminary task.

However, I am more confident with the camcorder now. I can use it effectively and make the work on the screen look interesting. When creating my final media product I experimented with the camera instead of using static shots like in my prelim task. Not only did I use a tripod I did sections of the film hand held like 'The Blair Witch Project' and I also span the camera round, going back to the shot of the eye of the mask dissoling into the human eye. I did reverse shots on the camera and filmed things backwards. I did this because I wanted it to look interesting and real, I didn't reverse the shot in the editing process I filmed backwards.
I also used a varierty of different camera angles. In the preliminary task I was restricted to the camera angles I was able to use; Over the shoulder shot, not breaking the 180 degree rule and mid shots. As I didn't use people in my opening I had to become creative with the camera. I used zooms, close ups, mid shots and long shots to create the journey through the barn. The camera acts as the eye of the character, this is a point of view shot. I wanted to use the point of view shot so that I remains to the conventions of 'The Blair Witch Project' which is all shot on a hand held camera and there are a range of point of view shots.

As you can see I have become a lot more confident and experimental with the camera after creating my preliminary task to the main product.

Garage Band:

I added music to the main product and did this through garage band. I didn't use garageband in the preliminary task I just used the sounds that were already made in Imovie. I couldn't do this for this task. I had to create my own piece of music. I didn't want a full piece of music because it took the eerie atmosphere away and I wanted the opening to be as realisitic as possible. Therefore I looked at a website were I could download a simple note and then edit it to become a longer and more eerie sound. I did this for all the music I have on the film. I had to play around with garage band as it is quite a complex programme. I wasn't given the opportunity to use it within the preliminary task. I think I have done a good job in creating an eerie opening and adding effective music over it.