LO2: Task 3 - Understand Skills Needed to Carry Out a Chosen Media Production Role

My Suitability to be a Film Director

Having always being interested in film and a love for watching films, I discovered a passion for filmmaking after applying for and taking part in the BFI Film Academy in which I learned many aspects in filmmaking as well as learning about the history of film as a whole. In a group of four, I was chosen to direct a short film which was shot in a day and then edited in the post-production the next day. When directing the film, I found myself communicating very well with the actors and crew, making sure the film was directed to our group's vision. Since taking part in this activity, I have learned directing is a strong point of mine and feel directing is definitely a path I would like to take.

Written Communication

Directors use materials such as storyboards and shot plans to communicate their ideas to the cinematographers working on set, which had to be done in my experience of directing with the BFI academy.
Before shoots, I would have to prepare using written communication when designing storyboards to match the vision I wanted the film to look like. I would write what shot types would be used on set and outline which parts of the script this would match. I had to be very clear with my written communication, which I think is already a strong point of mine due to my early interest in writing which has also developed through studying English Language and Literature at college, so this has already proven to benefit my skills as a director.

Verbal Communication

As stated earlier, directors need to be very communicative and cooperative when working on set, making sure the cast and crew are following instructions to create the directors preferred image.

When directing the short film, I had to ensure the actors were clear on their motivation when on set. This meant using verbal communication to explain what was required of them. As well as actors, it was my responsibility to decide when the camera begins shooting and when the camera cuts, so I had to be clear to those managing cinematography when it was time to shoot.
I think I communicated well for my first time directing, and this definitely helped develop these communicative skills. I feel these communication skills I have improved through this experience will certainly be of value if I take directing further.
Aside from the BFI, I feel I have always enjoyed communicating with others and think this quality in itself will benefit future projects that require directing.

Practical Production

Being a director on set, I needed to follow the camera at all times to make sure the correct shot was captured. I feel I was good at planning the camera movements and angles, making sure that I was constantly monitoring the cinematographer, George Unitt, and assisting him in capturing the shots. Though the practical side was mainly resting on the shoulders of the cameraman, I felt I also made contribution to how the film was shot while directing the actors on set.

Creativity

I have always considered myself a creative person, having always been interested in art and design, photography and writing. I feel this shone through well in my first time directing a film. Before directing anything, we as a group of four brainstormed and planned what our film would be about. We came up with many ideas that all eventually turned into a story about a girl who relives her life through a series of rooms in an old house, ending with her looking down at her own dead body through a window as she is hit by a car.
I think I contributed a lot into the planning of this short film and expressed unique and imaginative ideas doing so, which I then demonstrated in the shot plans for when we would shoot the film, carefully planning what shots would be most effective for this story.

Areas for further assessment

For being a film director, I feel my knowledge of the technical side of filmmaking is still amateur. Having shot with DSLRs, I still feel more knowledge is needed to fully express ideas through film and direct how a film should look. I also think some of my organisational skills in filmmaking could be a little improved, perhaps producing more production schedules, recces and GANTT charts.
To successfully improve these skills, I plan to study Film Production further at Stafford University next year to fill these skill gaps in order to become a professional film director. This will allow me to cooperate with many other like-minded filmmakers, learn about more advanced equipment and help me develop more creative ideas.

My suitability to be an Editor

Before the BFI Film Academy I had no knowledge of editing whatsoever, but after learning skills in the software Adobe Premiere Pro, I feel I have acquired skills that would benefit me in this field.

Written Communication

In written communication, this is very similiar to a film director. I will use storyboards to plan out what shots would go where and how long each cut will last for. I will also need to create edit logs which will feature how long a shot must last in the sequence and what transitions and effects will be used throughout.

Verbal Communication

Not much verbal communication is necessarily required for an editor, as the process mainly involves taking cuts from the shoots and organising it into a sequence which takes much patience and possibly privacy to do. Apart from maybe consulting the director for assistance to see if the project matches his or her vision, the job is heavily relied on just technical skill.

Practical Production

Practically, an editor must be very knowledgable of the software they are using to cut down the shots into a sequence. Through the BFI Film Academy, I gained valuable knowledge of how to use Adobe Premiere Pro and learned how to cut footage, overlap music, use effects and transitions and create a short sequence from multiple camera perspectives. This skill I think could be taken into other projects if given the opportunity to edit.

Creativity

Editors also need to have a creative mind when it comes to how each shot and cut is transitioned. While the director has a creative vision for how the film looks, the editor also needs to match this creativity with how he or she puts the footage together. As mentioned earlier, editing is often seen as an art form and a skill, so creativity and imagination goes hand in hand with this technical skill.

Areas for Development

Again, my skills at editing are still amateur as there are many other aspects to today's industry standards of editing I still need to learn. My plan of action to change this is again to study Film Production at Stafford University, as the editing facilities are of industry standard and I will be able to develop this skill further learn more about the field of editing.