As a key part of your Short Film coursework you must produce a reflective analysis of your work and the role which you took in the production. The reflective analysis should select key features of the creative product and reflect critically on both the creative process and the product.  Those of you who worked in a group should focus on the construction and impact of their role.

It is best to think of this as being closer to a micro analysis of the kind submitted for FM1 than it is some kind of broadly based production report. You should bring to bear their Film Studies knowledge in order to evaluate aspects of their own work, for example, in terms of what you were trying to achieve and whether the creative decisions made proved to be appropriate ones. Certainly some reflection on creative intention within their chosen role, and an understanding of potential affect is advisable.

Given the limited length of this analysis, the student is strongly recommended to focus on precise moments, and particular key decisions made, rather than considering the dynamics of production, or any underpinning research methodologies.

To help you write your script you can use the following questions as a guide:

• What were your overall aims of your project?
• What other short films influenced your work? Give an example of how and which film?
• Pick 3-5 significant parts of your short film and discuss what impact you wanted to have on the audience, how did you do this?
• What technical devices did you use in the construction of your short film?

You need to complete your script so that it can be filmed in your first lesson back after Easter.

Editing is a key part of the film making process and is often misunderstood. Editing is responsible for the structure of the film, the dynamics that we see on screen, the manipulation of time and the colour of the film. Alternatively it is “cutting out the bad bits”. It is likely that in some projects the bad bits will far outweigh the good bits and if this is the case then it is important to remember the maxim “you can’t polish a turd”. In some cases it may be beneficial to re shoot footage particularly on student projects.

The Oscar winning editor Walter Murch works to a ‘Rule of Six’. These are six criteria that should be staisfied by every ‘cut’

1. Emotion – is it true to the emotion of the moment?
2. Story – it advances the story
3. Rhythm – it occurs at a moment that is rhythmically interesting and “right”
4. Eye-trace – it acknowledges what you might call “eye-trace” – the concern with the location and movement of the audience’s focus of interest within the frame
5. Two-dimensional plane of space – it respects “planarity” – the grammer of three dimensions transposed by photography to two. (The question of stage-line)
6. Three-dimensional space of action – it respects the three-dimensional continuity of the actual space

(from ‘In The Blink Of An Eye’ – Walter Murch)

Here are two videos of Walter Murch discussing his career and editing.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

You need to complete your reflective DVD commentary by Wednesday 31st March. It needs to be left on your groups computer.

All groups need to have a rough cut of their work complete by the last lesson of the week. This should include some rough sound even if effects or colour correction needs to be added.

Jake Wynne, Director and Editor is coming in on Friday 26th March to talk about his work and to offer advice to groups making their short films and sequences. Jake has directed a number of music videos and adverts as well as working regularly as an editor, he has not long finished his first short film which is currently being supported by the British Council and being shown at Film Festivals around the world. You can view a trailer here http://jakewynne.powweb.com/didshortfilm2/.

The deadline for both AS and A2 filming is Friday 12th February please make sure that you have filmed by this date.

The final AS deadline is Monday 8th March, by this date you should have finished and uploaded your video to youtube and also completed you individual reflective evaluation by this date.

The final A2 deadline is Wednesday 31st March, by this date you will have finished your film and also completed the DVD evaluative commentary by this date.

Several 4 minute films have been nominated for this competition.. please click here and vote/rate your favourite video!

Both the Y12 film sequences and the Y13 short films have been uploaded onto the youtube page. Please feel free to have a look at them and leave your comments.

We are really pleased with the hard work that went into making theses sequences and you should be pleased with the results.

The nominations for this years Oscars have been announced with The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Slumdog Millionaire, The Reader, Frost/Nixon and Milk all nominated for Best Film. It is possible for you to watch Slumdog Millionaire, Frost/Nixon and Milk this week as they are all at cinemas in Cambridge. For more on the Oscars the BBC has a page dedicated to it and it also features Mark Kermodes predictions. It is worth following the Oscars to see what impact winning best film has on box office recipts and also on the directors and casts careers.

Long Road A2 Film Students won 2007′s Magic Box Film Prize in Cambridge.

The winning film was entitled ‘Friday’.