I thoroughly enjoyed completing this assignment solo, however, I definitely would have gained from having assistance in sharing the workload, and benefited from creative suggestions and ideas that come with working as a group.

Filming was definitely the most challenging part of my project to complete solo. Organising and keeping track of mics and cables all whilst trying to identify suitable shots and specific things/people I could film got quite challenging. Especially at The Union Hotel, which was really busy at the time of filming. That being said, I think that I coped quite well and never had any hazards such as tripping or interference with my tripod. I do believe that the addition of another person could have enhanced the quality of a lot of shots, just through the input of ideas such as filming at angles I may not have recognised, or even filming different subjects all together. A main point that I could have improved was also my timeliness and scheduling. Because I was working alone, setting up equipment and ensuring that the camera is put on the right settings takes a lot more time than what I had expected. Because of this, I definitely should have arrived at the pubs earlier than scheduled to set up everything, so that I was ready to go by the negotiated filming time.

The challenge of maintaining a consistent quality as a solo film maker was also quite difficult, particularly on my first scheduled shoot. This included very basic checks such as focus, checking levels, and that the white balance had been adjusted. Working solo, I found myself forgetting to double check these basic checkpoints. Although I improved this on my later shoots, my footage could have been enhanced if I had been more attentive on my first shoot.

One thing I think I did particularly well as a solo film maker was react to unexpected hurdles during my filming. particularly when the original pub I planned to shoot in, The Corner Hotel, told me that I could not film in there venue. Working solo meant that I could quickly decide on an alternative pub (The Precinct) without deliberation or a loss of significant time.

In terms of editing, I think that to have had a partner in this project would have been really beneficial. I often found myself struggling with creative choices relating to editing. This included choices in colour grading and choosing which shots to include in the film (and for how long). I think that receiving feedback in week 12 helped me to realise this, as I implemented, or at least tested, almost all of the recommendations of how I could improve (the pub sketches, removing some pool table shots, experimenting with volume and sound).

Despite these areas which could have been improved working in a group or pair, I think that working solo was the right decision and taught me a lot in every aspect of the film making process, which I can use in future projects.