Task 10: Analyse Previous Students Work

I thought that this opening sequence was quite good. This is because one camera movement was used throughout the scene which helped the video flow. Another thing I liked about this opening was the way the text was presented as they used different fonts which looked visually appealing. However, I believe this would be graded at a B because there is a lack of variety of shots and dialogue and very low difficulty editing.

This scene was not very engaging or exciting. This is because I felt that the dialogue was boring and unrealistic. The genre of this film is supposed to be coming of age although I don't believe this opening portrays the genre as the protagonist in this scene is an elderly woman. I would therefore grade this at a C grade because I feel that improvements can be made to make the sequence more exciting and portray the genre better.

As I said in my commentary, I thought that this sequence was excellent. The things that made me think were the effective use of sound and the dialogue. The dialogue was good because we were given enough but not so much that the narrative was revealed straight away. The sound was used in the right places and in the right context to demonstrate tension and further engage the audience. Therefore, I would have graded this sequence at an A*.

What I have learnt:
By analyzing these examples of previous AS level students opening sequences, I have discovered the level of work that is required to achieve a high grade. One positive thing that I noticed in each sequence was the quality of camera work and camera angles used. This made the videos look extremely professional so I will try to ensure that my camerawork is to the best of my ability. I have also found out what I can apply in my opening sequence to make it stand out. One element I can use is unusual editing that will catch the audiences eye and make my video look high standard. I will need to fine tune my sequence so that things like audio and shots are clear, of a good quality and are free of errors.

Checklist For My Opening Sequence:

• Don't reveal too much of the narrative.
• Use a catchy soundtrack to engage my audience.
• Correct institution information used.
• Make the main character the focus of the narrative.
• Film the video in landscape and not portrait as it will make it difficult to edit.
• Make the actors speak clearly and slowly to make it easy to edit and understandable.
• Stick to the 180 degree rule unless I am braking it to add effect and demonstrate confusion.
• Use close ups.
• Think about costume to represent a social group.
• Make a clear plan/storyboard.
• Make transitions seamless.
• Use Film 4 as my institution company as they are usually low budget films and bring up encouraging actors. 
• Try to include some animation in my sequence.
• Produce a script for my actors.
• Use pans to demonstrate motion.
• Create some enigma codes that will make my audience watch on.
• Produce a catchy soundtrack.
• Include typography in my opening sequence.
• Capitalise and embolden peoples names.
• Think about the order of my credits.
• Introduce some of the main characters of the film.
• Use some short shots and jump shots to add pace to the sequence.
• Add emphasis on important sounds in the shot.
• Focus on my camera work.