4.11

We had to leave class early so we weren't able to get much editing done but because of that we worked efficiently and tried to get as much work done as possible. We started editing, taking the footage we actually needed from all our videos. I learned that this is called the assembly stage of editing, getting a rough outline of how the end film is going to turn out like. What we should always remember during editing is whenever you know there's a space between clips where we still need to fill in with some footage we don't have yet, we need to put a slug there. I learned this last year but I had forgotten. I think this is so you don't forget the order and timing of the outline of the film, and also so you have something there that you can replace later instead of just a space.

I think that before next lesson what we need to do is really sit down and think about what we want to show with our footage. We need to really plan out the content rather than actual footage. We have a lot of footage, we have a lot of material we could use but I think the important thing to always keep in mind is that your telling a story or giving a message, and that needs to be shown through the footage. We can't just put in some random footage and expect people to figure out what everything means. I think right now if we just started editing the footage, our end result wouldn't look bad, but after watching it people will turn around and ask us, "so what was the point of that?" I don't think that's the point of this unit. We did change our topic question slightly to adapt to the filming difficulties and the situation with getting permission so our ideas have probably changed from what we originally planned. This is again why we need to really think about the whole point of our film. That was the most challenging part of the lesson. It's a little like starting all over again from the beginning, going back to the plan stage, but I think once we get the outline of what we want to show with our footage everything will come together a lot smoother and a lot easier.

During the lesson, while my other group members were editing, I was experimenting with the different title templates. I was trying to find the best template, trying out the different effects, experimenting with the sizes and the timing and the positioning on the screen. At the same time I was also trying to think of a suitable name/title for our documentary. All of this made me realize again how much thought goes into every aspect of making a film. We can't take making the title scene or thinking of the film name lightly, because that's what see first when watching the film. The title has to grab our attention, and also if the director is clever, has special meaning to do with the film. But at the same time the title scene has to be incorporated well with the rest of the film. Sometimes it's a black screen with the title, sometimes the title is text on top of some footage. I guess the way you introduce the film is also like the introduction part to an essay, so it's pretty important as well.

"Round up the usual suspects." - Casablanca