In our week 5 lectorial, we spoke about successful reading as well as how to practically approach our third project brief (and some things to keep in mind).

I’m going to try to make use of the following tips to help me get through all my readings at university, and particularly the challenging ones.

• Read the abstract first (if there is one), paying close attention, as this outlines what the reading will be about
• Skim read the body of the text to figure out the main idea of the writing and become familiar with the writing style and structure
• Read introduction and conclusion to clarify the overall purpose of the text
• Think about the argument the writer is making so that things make sense as you read
• Don’t be overwhelmed by a lot of text; look for key sentences and go for there
• Don’t get stuck on terms you don’t know – make a note to look it up and come back to it later
• Highlight and annotate as you go
• When you finish reading, write a brief summary of the main ideas of the text for quick reference
  • Look for a kernel that sums up the main point of the text
  • Also evaluate the text in your mind, thinking about the strengths/limitations and the scope of the reading
• Think about the relevance of the text for your purpose (e.g. background reading, inspiration, developing a creative or technical skill)

In terms of things to remember for project brief 3, I made the following list:

• Release forms signed by participants
• Original and Found Footage
  • Found footage: pre-existing footage found and appropriated in an original way that the original creator
• Editing
  • Make use of cutaway shots – keep the audience interested
  • Voiceovers
  • Interview – filmed from multiple angles
  • Fast cuts and repetition
  • Think about putting effects on videos (e.g. colour washes to create a certain mood, sense of ageing/time to create a sense of reminiscence)
  • Play with camera focus – same thing from different angles
  • Mood music behind a person speaking – can lift what they are saying