Emily's Blog

One of our first homework assignments was focused on the shot construction exercises we did in class. The task was simple; film yourself performing an action and construct as man shots as you desire. However, it HAD to be boring and this initially links to one of my discoveries made in class. As said by Paul, shot construction has to be boring in order for scenes and segments to be perfected. To gain experience creating a stunning shot, there needs to be practice done beforehand. Hence, by doing the homework task, I experimented with different shots of myself making a cup of tea. Reflecting back on it now, I realise that by habit I made the short 30 second video not as boring as it could have been. But to my defence, I am a creative thinker and learner and I believe it positively assists me to making satisfactory work. Although the clip was short, shot construction can be time-consuming and tedious in order to be perfected.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1nWJtujUCU1DBv2a5LfMbaXMTFdSLw4ld

Used to inspire our homework exercises, the first shot construction work we did in class also links to my epiphany had about shot construction and film-making having to be tedious and boring in certain cases. This exercise involved us getting into groups of 4 or 5 and shooting different shots of the same action. Paul instructed us to not to go crazy with our shooting, as some other professionals believe is necessary. Instead, he told us to shoot to edit, meaning we should experiment with shots so we don’t have any regrets when we got edit, and also meaning we shouldn’t go overboard. By creating different shots of Alex contemplating what to drink from a vending machine (with the help of others in my group), I was able to later see in the editing process how different shots work together nicely. With multiple shots, different versions and edits of the same scene can be conducted. Therefore, if you were to be working with a client, you have different options to show them in case your first one was to not be of their taste.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=16VhJdwNyPRgTeme5JvybbRNR3P5SkfF5

I was initially interested in this studio due to the idea that we would be guided by prompts and instructed to work on smaller projects instead of one major assignment at the end. As film-making isn’t something I am super passionate about, this was one of the studios which didn’t seem to be as full on, where I could work slowly on my work and not be forced to delve into something I am not entirely ready for. I am excited to work with Paul as he is a professional in his field and has an abundance of knowledge to share with all of us. I am confident that by the end of this studio, I will have learnt many new skills and practices, and will be able to take that knowledge with me during the rest of my time at RMIT.

I believe this studio will allow me to expand my knowledge on film-making and allow me to investigate if it is something I can become more involved and interested in. I don’t want to rule out film-making as something I’m not interested in completely, I am always eager to give something a go and I might find that I enjoy it more than I think by the end of the semester.

However, what I hope to get out of this studio is somehow incorporating online media into the mix. I am more passionate about online media, in the sense that it is a major media platform that can be accessed by billions of people. In terms of a business point of view, social media managing is extremely important, and it may be a career that I might delve into when I leave University. Hence, throughout my time in studios at RMIT, I hope that I am able to obtain experience with online media, so it can help me achieve my future goals and ambitions.