General observations:
Having watched everyone else’s videos and having heard the general feedback from Louise, I can identify so many little glitches with my interview that make me really motivated to invest more time in improving my skills. I want to be proud of the work that I produce and, while overall I am relatively happy with the production, definitely can appreciate several key areas where improvement is necessary. I need to put far more time aside to blog meaningful and considered content and utilise more opportunities to gain practical experience. I want to step up the level of work that I am producing greatly.
Audio components:
One of the key areas in which the quality of my piece is compromised is the audio. For a start I regret including my own voice asking the questions of Kris. It disrupts the flow and authenticity of the piece and makes it seem stagnant. Because I was self-conscious about the way that my voice was sounding, again, the dialogue doesn’t sound as natural and articulate as what I would have liked. Aside from not sounding genuine, the inclusion of my interviewing disturbs the flow of the piece and detracts away from what Kris is saying. I’ll definitely re-consider next time whether I should include my own voice and, if I choose that it is appropriate in that instance, will be sure to sound more confident and directed in what I am saying.
The quality of the audio itself is also simply not up to scratch at some points so I need to better familiarise myself with the technology involved. This is yet another reason why I need to work harder on the initiative project. Next time I will undertake the task of interviewing my subject in a clean environment with minimal background noise or distraction.
Additional ‘thematic’ music assumed much of the space in my construction of Kris and, while this did add a greater sense of ‘personality’ it also over-compensated at points for the lack of direction in what he was saying (which I feel I could have influenced better). Because I was focusing so much on the importance of texture, I over-complicated the production instead of executing each element as fluently and as effectively as possible. Due to this, in upcoming productions I am going to simplify the editing taking place to create a more directed and balanced narrative that is easier to understand while still interesting, unique and creative.
Visual components:
One of the elements that spoke to me the most in my classmates’ productions were more simplistic approaches that were still teased out and explored in depth. The coverage that some students were able to achieve in their presentations was sophisticated and impressive. The use of many differentiated camera angles and shots provided multiple views in which the audience could read the subject. I did edit keeping composition and variety in mind, however, from the beginning should have collected a broader range of material to play around with and tease out in the editing process later on. Yes I did have good composition, however, some content was repetitively used. I could have illustrated Kris completely the same action multiple ways, employing various camera angles and shots to achieve this varied coverage.
The title also certainly could have been more sophisticated and, in retrospect, I am disappointed with the format and font that I decided to choose. It may seem as though I have picked to pieces my presentation but that’s only because I want to be making the most of the opportunities extended to us in Media One and to be producing the highest level of work possible. Completing project three has allowed me to retrospectively identify what I have elements I have executed well, what elements I haven’t executed with as much success and what strategies and techniques I should explore in further attempts.
