LO2: Evaluation of my Resources
I will be taking a Film Studies course at De Montfort University [1] so that I can progress to learning about film in higher education so that I can later pursue a career with ties to film and tv. This offer was subject to me obtaining five GCSEs at Grade C or above and above 104 UCAS points from A-Levels, which I have now earned.
Access to Equipment
There is a range of equipment available to me at the UTC, including cameras, computers and various software. Most projects I have worked on have involved the use of a Canon 650D DSLR Camera to take photographs and/or record film. I also have experience using RODE sound equipment including boom mics, voice recorders and their Shotgun microphones to help improve the audio quality on film. UTC Sheffield has also allowed me to utilise supporting equipment such as tripods, steadi-cam equipment and camera sliders.
I have frequently used programmes such as Adobe Premiere to edit film and have frequently used Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop for graphic work. I generally use Google Drive for saving important files but have also used OwnCloud and had work backed up through the Adobe Creative Cloud which links to all Adobe programs to prevent the loss of work. On top of this, I also keep important files saved to SD cards.Work I have created
My most notable visual production projects include: For this project, we were asked to create a short film similar in style to the Sheffield based company 'WARP'. Our team was comprised of me, Lewis Wright and Maddie Fearn and we were assisted by 3 local aspiring actors (Lewis Peters, Elle Pinder and Tom Beech respectively). The film is a short horror/thriller based on the idea of Xenophobia.
For this project, I worked in a small group to create a trailer for a film inspired by the style of Warp films. I did a lot of research in to visual promotion whilst working on this unit and looked at films with a similar style such as 'Dead Mans Shoes' as well as looking at higher budget franchise films like 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' which helped me get a sense of pace and structure when putting together this trailer.
We encountered a lot of problems whilst working on this project, including problems with obtaining a location and working around the weather and time constraints. However, the experience benefited me when it came to working on the production of 'False Awakening'.
For this unit I used my skills that I had developed from creating the trailer for Counting Cards as well as the production of False Awakening. This trailer was made to promote the latter and done in conjunction with Unit 15- Print Based Advertising Media [5], an important part of this unit was making sure there was some consistency across the advertising campaign, this meant using the same logos and fonts for both pieces of media.
Other Relevant Projects
Alongside producing our short film 'False Awakening' I also worked with my team to create the script. During this unit I looked at a variety of scripts from different from media. I also learned about the importance of how scripts are structured and the conventions they must follow.
For this unit I looked at job roles within the film industry, choosing to focus on the roles taken on by a Director and an Editor. As I have had some experience in both of these roles, I was able to analyse my own skills and what I might need to change or adapt if seeking full time employment in the industry.
Through this unit I learned about the entire production process, again focusing on the film industry. I particularly focused on the 2009 film 'Avatar' and is box office success compared to the likes of Warp Studios' 'Four Lions'. I took an in depth look at the film industry as and how large conglomerates like 20th Century Fox compare to Independent Studios. This unit really allowed me to have a greater understanding of the media sector and how these companies work to produce their media.
This unit also gave me an insight to how Media companies develop products based on their target audiences. Learning about different demographics, different NRS Social Grades and how to create an audience profile has become an invaluable skill while obtaining my Media qualification.
I also created videos for this unit in which I explained the research that I had done for the media industry. This was highly beneficial to developing my skills in Adobe Premiere.
For this unit I was tasked with creating an original idea for a magazine, I chose to do a music magazine focusing on the 'Djent' sub-genre. This project was incredibly helpful in developing my skills with photography and use of programs such as Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator.
Locations
I spent a lot of my time using public transport while travelling to and from locations, however after recently passing my driving exam I was allowed more time to prepare for each day of shooting.
Sheffield
- Park Hill Flats - 'Counting Cards'
- UTC Sheffield - 'Counting Cards', Analysing Media Products
- Charnock Woods - 'False Awakening'
- Meersbrook Scout Hall - 'Counting Cards'
- Sheffield Ampitheatre/ Train Station - 'Counting Cards'
- Worrall Common - 'False Awakening' Early draft footage and sound
Contacts
For our short film 'False Awakening' we originally used online tools such as the South Yorkshire Film Network [9] to seek the help of 3 local actors, after getting together an early draft with these actors we encountered problems with their schedules and instead enlisted 3 young aspiring actors who were more readily available.
SWOT Analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats)
- Strengths - Working in a production team, experience and knowledge of Adobe Photoshop, Premiere, Bridge and various other s
- Weaknesses - Whilst I have some experience camera and sound equipment provided by college, I feel that I need to invest in that equipment to increase my skill set. For this I am planning on investing on a Canon 800D and RODE Microphone which are similar to the equipment I've previously used
- Opportunities - Through the duration of my media qualification I have gained a lot of experience and skills in various areas of the media industry
- Threats - The biggest threat to me comes from a lack of funding,if I'm not able to save the money I need to buy aforementioned equipment it could be very difficult for me to increase my portfolio and continue to gain experience.
Source of Funding and Investments
As I see funding as a threat to my career path, it is important that I mange my savings well so that I can obtain the necessary equipment. In order to display my portfolio I will use Social Media sites such as Instagram [11] and YouTube [12], however if I want to expand my reach and employability I will later have to create my own website and possibly even purchase a domain.
As previously stated, in order to gain even more experience there is certain hardware and software I require. As I have got used to using the Canon 650D and 700D models, I feel that the Canon 800D would be a suitable camera for me. This is a slightly newer model but has very similar controls to the cameras I have already worked with. As an alternative, the Canon 4000D is another DSLR camera in the same range but comes at a much lower price point. The 4000D also takes slightly lower resolution images and video and has a shorter battery life but is still a very good starting point.
As I've grown used to the Adobe Creative Cloud, I would also need to purchase a license for this. The other software I use such as Google Drive [13] and Google Photos [14] are free but I have already made the first step of purchasing a larger amount of online storage. My course at De Montfort University [1] offer some industry standard equipment and software, however these are subject to availability so it is still important that I have some of this equipment for myself.
Most of my funding will come from my income as a crew member at McDonald's, alongside additional savings I have made over the years.
Below is a budget plan detailing what resources I deem post important.
Total Price: £1346.58 or £901.38
Annual budget: £1400
Some items may be subsidised by my university, such as the Adobe Creative Cloud or Office 365. Online tools such as Google Docs also mean that Office 365 is not entirely necessary but would be highly beneficial.
I already own some SD Cards, however it would be highly beneficial to have extra to hand.
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