Reflection_Over the Shoulder

Describe how your group planned your shots. What realizations did you make about the kind of planning that needs to happen BEFORE you shoot?

My group and I read through the script thoroughly, and we chose the angle and focus of each shot in order to fulfill the requirements presented in the assignment. We realized we needed to deliver the dialogue more clearly and loudly in the shots depicting one's reaction while the other subject speaks.

Look at the composition of your over the shoulder shots. Did you follow the rule of thirds? Why or why not?

Our over the shoulder shots did not follow the rule of thirds because the subject in focus was in the center of the shot as opposed to the upper or lower, left or right side of the grid within the shot.

What IMPRESSIONS do the over the shoulder shots create about the characters? How does this work?

The impression of the over the shoulder shots create the allure of a conversation despite the fact that we filmed each segment separately. The shots also capture each subject's reaction in response to the dialogue.

How realistic does the dialogue seem in the final edit? What challenges did you have in editing?

The dialogue did appear to be realistic based on the quick edits and precise spacing of each subject throughout each take. The challenges we had in editing was capturing each line quickly enough to create a realistic effect. Another challenge we faced was speaking loudly enough, especially during the shot focused on Zoie while Emily spoke. This was done in order to capture Zoie's reaction.

Is there a dominant mood or tone to your video? What is that mood or tone? How did you accomplish this?

The tone is subtle and sincere. We offered a fairly calm tone despite an extremely exciting event. We accomplished this by encouraging our actors to deliver the dialogue as if they were truly speaking to a friend on a regular basis.

What other observations do you have about using over the shoulder shots?

Other observations we have about using over the shoulder shots include precise subject placement and careful awareness of background subjects.

What other ideas got emphasized or reinforced about how to make effective videos from doing this exercise?

I learned how to plan before shooting, especially in preparation for over the shoulder videos. I also learned to make sure my premiere pro project is set up correctly in the initial phase of creation. I did not make sure of this, and my video and hard work suffered. The size of our video is much smaller than normal, and I am extremely disappointed because it literally and figuratively downsized our work. I will make it a point to check each setting in my future premiere pro projects before I create a blank canvas. In addition to this, the credits rolled for too long, this was obviously unintentional but yet, a drawback.