Final Edit Review

Target Audience Feedback:

The video bellow shows the key points of what my target audience liked about my sequence:

I am over the time limit for this project, what do you think I should cut out/ down and why?

My target audience said that they didn’t feel like I’d cut anything vital and were happy with the cuts that I made. They said that the revised sequence flows a lot better as there aren’t as many cut-aways to different dates which had started to get a little confusing. One person especially liked how I cut the ‘date minus 3’ title at the very end which I had intended to cut out because it had been confusing.

I have made a date counter on the screen to help show that the sequence is not in chronological order, how can I improve it?

Now that I’ve moved the date counter a little higher my audience say that it’s a lot easier to see, this means that the fact you were cutting to different dates in non-chronological order became clearer.  They also noted how it remains on the screen now rather than just ‘flashing back and forth’ which they say looks a lot better. Another thing they really liked about the changes I made was the new film title. They said that they all noticed it this time round and said it was a lot clearer that that was the actual film title rather than just another title; this was mainly because of the white background, and how i’d made it larger on the screen. They also liked how the ’35’ is the same as the date counter so that the film seems to have a running theme.

How well does the soundtrack fit with the video?

They mentioned how Mark’s voice was a lot clearer and it was easier for them to understand what he was saying. They all already commented on how much they liked the music and were happy that I had not changed it.

Success in terms of opening sequence and indie romantic comedy genre conventions:

Opening Sequence Conventions:

It’s got to have some form of titles which credit the main people involved in the film process. I have a variety of titles which credit production and distribution companies, costume design production design, original music, casting, film editing, cinematography, producers, actors, writer and finally the director. All of these roles, excluding acting, were me however in order to create the feel of an actual opening sequence with a variety of roles I used some other names. I am really proud of how all my titles turned out:

Production Cards:

 

I like my production cards. I think their simplicity helps them to look professional even though we were only able to use livetype. I think they could easily be associated with an indie romantic comedy so are successfully believable. Panda Productions is quirky and random so could be associated with an indie comedy. And Little Heart Film has obvious romantic connotations. The only thing I dislike about them is that they do not appear on the screen for long enough because I could not get livetype to allow me to maintain the animation for a longer period of time.

Overlaid Titles /Getting Ready Shots:

I am really proud of how these titles turned out and my audience were pleased with them too. I think that the quirkiness helps to signify the indie comedy genre and this type of editing adds a bit of originality in my sequence. I’m also pleased with the actual shots themselves because I think they are funny. Mark’s facial expression when he’s cleaning his teeth is very unglamorous and realistic which I think sets up his very honest characteristics well. Also when he tries on the bow tie it builds his geeky images and he looks a bit silly which is equally funny.

Inter-titles:

I used this type of title to add a little variety to my sequence. I think the font choice connotes something quite innocent and fun which is similar to my genre while still being clear and easy to read. I think that the duration they are on the screen is enough so that you can read them and when I asked my audience if they were able to clearly read all of my titles they said yes.

The main character or setting is normally introduced. Bellow I talk about the main shots that introduce the character of Mark. 

V-logging Sequences:

I am fairly happy with how these turned out however I do think there are problems with them. Firstly, despite my efforts to light Mark in a way that was adequately bright while still looking reasonably natural there is a problem with shadow on Mark’s face. His eyes are always in shadow which gives some subtle connotations of darkness when he is really a harmless guy. Another interpretation could be that he has a bit of mystery about him which would be revealed through the course of the film – this is true and this sort of interpretation would be fine. At any rate it was not entirely what I wanted. I like the framing of the shot as Mark stays as the center focus for these shots. His direct address to the camera and, therefore the audience, allows the audience to further connect with the character so I think I directed the actor well.

Flashback (cutaway):

In these shots I establish the main setting – a town in England – which is somewhere relatable for my audience who mainly come from the working class. Overall these three shots turned out pretty close to how I had planned which shows that the storyboarding process successfully portrayed what I wanted in the sequence. Still, I think that they could of gone a little better as I feel they don’t convey the enigma codes that I wanted. I had originally planned for the girl in the park to run up to another boy and they walk away together. This would convey that his previous girlfriend may have cheated on him which left him scared and bitter. The lack of the other boy means that the connotations aren’t as strong – it is possible that she just left him or they drifted apart. However it is still conveyed that there was history between him and his previous girlfriend which is what I wanted. I also like how well the voiceover fits with what is happening on screen so that the sequence looks and sounds smooth.

Indie Romantic Comedy Conventions:

It’s got to be funny, and the characters are normally relatable. At various points in the sequence I made things subtly funny and quirky. In the ‘Overlaid/Getting Ready Shots’ section I talk about how Mark’s facial expression and gesture make him look relatable and a little silly. It is always good to laugh at the silly things we do and I think this is something my target audience would agree with – this was reflected in the feedback as they said it was funny. Another aspect of comedy is portrayed through one of the settings of the dates – McDonald’s. It is quite laughable that a 20 something year old went on a first date to McDonald’s and there are enigma codes raised about why he would possibly go there.

There has got to be some form of romantic relationship explored. This aspect of my genre was very easy to impliment and very obvious for anyone watching to see. The film is about a boy trying to find a girl – he wants to go on dates and fall in love. Another more subtle method I used to singify my genre was my font choice. The little hearts around the ‘dates’ part of my titles have connotations of love and therefore romance. 

First Edit – Audience Feedback

Key Points of the Feedback:

Question 1: What is your favourite and least favourite part of my sequence; why?

Positives: They are really happy with some of my quirky editing techniques especially the shots shown bellow. One person said that they ‘loved the entire sequence, it was funny and had a really nice flow.’ It’s really nice to hear this sort of general positive feedback from my target audience as I know that I have succeeded in creating something they will enjoy.

Negatives: They think that some of the audio is a little bit difficult to understand. 

Question 2: I am over the time limit for this project, what do you think I should cut out/ down and why?

Comments: Most of my focus group think that I should cut the shots that have no real purpose – some of the date 25 shots. They also think I should cut out the ‘date minus 3’ counter at the end as it’s confusing. 

Question 3: How well do you think my sequence conforms to an indie romantic comedy; can I make the genre more obvious?

Positives: Most people said they thought it was really funny, one person said they ‘wanted to see the rest of the film’ as they liked Mark’s awkward indie characteristics so much. They all got the ‘indie romance‘ side of my genre.

Negatives: One person made the comment that they would need more comedic scenes for the comedy aspect to come through. My response to that is this, considering that I was only allowed to do the first 2 minutes of the sequence it was difficult to make the it absolutely hilarious however I think that the quirkiness and light humor is still apparent through Mark’s awkward behavior. 

Question 4: I have made a date counter on the screen to help show that the sequence is not in chronological order, how can I improve it?

Comments: A lot of them didn’t actually notice the date counter and so want it to be easier to see. They also said that they saw how the counter flicked back and forth (on and off the screen) and didn’t like this as it didn’t look as professional and effected the flow.

Question 5: I used two types of titles, do you think this effects the flow of the sequence; how can I improve? (Prompt: Are they on the screen long enough so you can read them? Are they all of the same professional standard – including my film title 35 dates.)

Positives: They thought my titles were good and thought they were professional looking. They don’t think that the two types of titles effected the flow.

Negatives: They think that my film title doesn’t stand out enough as a few of them didn’t really take in that that was the film title. They therefore think that it should be on the screen for longer, be bigger and have something different about it to make it stand out from the other titles. 

Question 6: How well does the soundtrack fit with the video? (Prompt: Is the dialogue loud enough? do you like the music for a romantic comedy?)

Positives: They all really like my music choice and think it is appropriate for my genre. 

Negatives: As I said some people wanted the audio to be a little louder and clearer as at points they could not understand what Mark was saying. One person commented that they wanted there to still be an instrumental part of the music underneath the final section of speech however this is not really possible as I am not in contact with the musician and there are no instrumental parts of the song. 

Question 7: Any other comments you want to make? Any errors that you’ve seen that I haven’t asked about in the sequence? (Prompt: Editing/continuity/sound blips/ etc.)

They saw a continuity error which I too had noticed before. As Mark exits the pub he leaves his scarf behind. I have tried to cut this shot down so that you can’t see the scarf left on the seat as I was unable to re-film this shot. Another person made the comment that Mark has the same (or a very similar) bouquet of flowers on two separate dates. As I mention in my filming post this was because of budget constraints as the flowers were quite expensive considering my budget was non-existent. 

First Edit – Planning Audience Feedback

I asked a few members of my audience to watch my opening sequence and then answer 7 questions concerning improvements I could make for the final edit.

Question 1: What is your favourite and least favourite part of my sequence; why?

I asked this question to get them thinking about what they’ve just watched so basically as a warm up question as people can get a bit apprehensive if you open up with a difficult question. Also, if a lot of them say the same thing as their least favorite part there is obviously something I need to improve.

Question 2: I am over the time limit for this project, what do you think I should cut out/ down and why?

As I said I am quite considerably over the time limit so I need to cut down some things. If my audience is able to help me choose what it is I should cut this will be a weight off my mind as I don’t want to cut something that my audience actually really like. I assume they will suggest things that I am already planning on cutting but I will make sure to follow their advice.

Question 3: How well do you think my sequence conforms to an indie romantic comedy; can I make the genre more obvious?

Part of this project is adhering to genre conventions, something I think that I have done fairly well. however I want to know if the genre is obvious to non-media students and all importantly to my audience. Basically what I want to know here is is it funny enough? As ever any suggestions my audience have will be valued.

Question 4: I have made a date counter on the screen to help show that the sequence is not in chronological order, how can I improve it?

Since I made the date counter I have been a little worried about it; I’m not sure if it looks professional enough but the opinion that really matters is my audience. I think that the counter does need improvements but I’m not sure what to do so I hope my audience will make some suggestions that I can act on.

Question 5: I used two types of titles, do you think this effects the flow of the sequence; how can I improve? (Prompt: Are they on the screen long enough so you can read them? Are they all of the same professional standard – including my film title 35 dates.)

Throughout the process I’ve received some varied feedback from my tutors about my titles, I want to make sure that my audience’s opinion is the same as I think it is – that they like both types of titles. I’m also planning on changing how my title looks so if my audience have any ideas that would be great.

Question 6: How well does the soundtrack fit with the video? (Prompt: Is the dialogue loud enough? do you like the music for a romantic comedy?)

I have the option of using another recording of the dialogue to possibly improve the sound quality but I want to see if my audience think that is necessary. I also want to see if there are any continuity errors that I have missed.

Question 7: Any other comments you want to make? Any errors that you’ve seen that I haven’t asked about in the sequence? (Prompt: Editing/continuity/sound blips/ etc.)

This is the section for my audience to inform me of any other types of errors, like continuity errors, that I’ve made and I just haven’t seen. There might be something they’ve been wanting to say about it but I hadn’t asked the right questions.

First Edit – Peer and Tutor Feedback

Tutor Feedback:

Having watched my opening sequence my tutor gave me some verbal feedback:

As you know the sequence is over the time limit so you need to shorten it. Some of your cutaways to other dates seem unnecessary so you might want to cut some of these shots out. 

Peer Feedback:

This was a more structured feedback and I was peer assessed in four key areas – Titles, Cinematography/Editing, Introduction Of…, and sound. As well as comments these areas were each marked out of 25 giving a final mark out of 100. My score had an average of 93/100 which is not bad by any means. The constructive criticism I got was:

Titles:

1. The date counter should stay on screen in the corner throughout, rather than flicking back and forth.
2. Your main film title could be a little more interesting.

Cinematography/ Editing:

1. Some shots are a little wobbly / jittery so you might want to re-film those.
2. Your sequence could use a little more shot variation.
3. Some shots of your panning shots are a little too long and could cut earlier – this would also reduce your time.
4. There are some opportunities for some transitions.

Sound:

1. Mark’s monologue could be a little louder.

My Response to my feedback so far:

• I completely understand what my tutor is saying about a few shots being unnecessary, they make my sequence clunky and boring. The shot above is an example of one I am already planning on cutting as it is unnecessary and I originally included it because I was worried that my sequence might not be long enough. I will be cutting down/out some other shots but for now I’m waiting to see what my audience feedback will say.

• Since story boarding my sequence I’ve been a little worried that I didn’t have enough shot variation, in this feedback someone mentioned this issue. I think that although I haven’t shown every possible shot I could have used in my sequence, for example an over the shoulder shot which would have been filmed but due to the venue being closed was not,  I have used a variety of shots – CU, ECU, LS, WS, MS, TS, etc. And, I do have a variety of movement appropriate for the romantic comedy genre – pan, track etc. So unless this is a main point of criticism in my audience feedback I am going to leave the shot variation how it is.

• I agree that the counter should be on the screen all the time throughout the dates, having looked closer at it now it lacks professionalism and effects the flow of my sequence. I think that I know how I can make the counter stay on the screen and so as soon as I’ve had my audience feedback I will move on to reworking that area of my opening sequence.

• Mark’s monologue at the start should be a little louder to get the right levels. I never actually used the voice recordings from my phone so I think this is something I need to do, it will probably help with the clarity and get rid of the faint buzzing in the background.