Accident Sequence Evaluation

1/ -What did you think was the point to the activity?
- The point of this activity was to learn how to put a selections of shots together to create a sequence of continuity, using only six shots from all different angles and showing different parts of the sequence. We had to make a short sequence in which an accident takes place as the focus of the shot.
2/ - In regards to the finished sequence, what works well?
- The opening pan gives a really good idea of the environment around the main character, and even manages to show the reason for the accident, the cone, in the corner of the scene. It sets the scene as an establishing shot, even though the position of the character is somewhat abstract to the next scene.
- The timing of the shots gives a sense of continuity; he hasn't run too far from when it goes from the 2nd shot to the 3rd, and so you can feel it being one whole continuous sequenc. The match on action ensures the viewer that no time has passed between the shots. However, this was not perfectly maintained throughout the sequence.
- There is a whole variety of shots, from the establishing shot to the mid shot at a low angle, focusing on the action of him running. The hand held shot stood out and gave the viewer the experience in the runners view, before it coming back to a mid shot as he falls over, to make the ending a bit more comical. The shots are taken from in front of the runner and behind him, to give a variety of angles.
- They don't break any of the rules, such as the 180degree rule, as the shots are all filmed from the right side of the runner, with the shots being taken from the 2 extremes of the 180 degrees but not beyond it.
3/ -What would you improve about the sequence?
- The opening scene is effective as an establishing shot, but takes a bit too long as it pans too slowly. Also, the end of the shot is irrelevant to the next scene and so defeats the continuity of the sequence at the start. I would've had him in the starting position or kneeling down, getting into the position into the first shot so the second one flows together properly.
- The rest of the shots are taken well but are not long enough, and don't have the match on action done well, as he falls over the cone while he was still far away from it at the end of the last shot, meaning that it looks like time has passed between the shots. This ruins the conituity of the shots. they should have just been a bit longer and they would have gone together well.
4/ -What did you learn from doing this activity?
- I have learnt that the cutting of shots at the right time is truly hard, and slightly bad timing can make the whole scene look like its not continuous.
- I've also learnt of the rules that should not be broken, such as the 180 degree rule, and how to create the effect that match on action enables, and how without them a scene can not be as effective.